Endless love
by AshNPadfoot
Summary: An american exchange student, who has a bad past, falls in love with Sirius and vice versa, in thier 5th year, but she doesnt show it at first.
1. Moving

Disclaimer: I do not take any credit for JKR characters, only my own and my plot  
  
I, Ashleigh Cox, was being forced against my will to move to England, a place I didn't know well or liked. I wanted to stay in America but that was well near impossible. We had to move because I was kicked out of my school. I and a few of my EX-friends played a joke but it turned into more than that. The victim of our humor had died. It was just as much my fault than the rest. I knew what they were doing was wrong and yet I couldn't stop them. My Ex-boyfriend, Alex had egged me on, to be a part of the joke. He entranced me, so naturally I did what he said. In the end, I was the only one who was caught and expelled. My dad and I talked about it all, he knew that I was guilty and believed me. He also understood the fact that I wouldn't give the rest of those involved up. We were going to move to New York but he had gotten a call from my great great grandfather. Evidently it was a job opportunity, so my dad took it. He told me we would have to move to England. England! God, my life has gotten so fucked up.  
  
After a summer filled with Wizard community service (meant no wand to help me out), we headed to England. I was going to meet my Great Great Grandfather. I had never met any of my family. I often felt like an orphan. My mom died a few years back and she didn't have any family. She was the true orphan I loved my mom. She was beautiful and full of life. I had learned so much from her and now I am 16 and leaving the only place I knew and I wouldn't have the comfort of our house to help me through those long nights that I sat up thinking about her. My dad's parents were dead before I was born and the only family he had left was his great grandfather and great uncle. They were OLD! Around a 140 years old.  
  
Our new house was smaller then the one I was used to. It was a two bedroom and it had a small kitchen and living room. A big study (to my father and I's advantage), and a huge basement. My father would be using the basement for his job he was an alchemist.  
  
"Dad, I hate this place." I stated. We were setting out tea and cookies for their arrival.  
  
"Please, Ashleigh, give it a try. Sweetheart, I need you to give it a try. For both of us." He said. I sighed deeply and nodded, the doorbell rang. I wanted so bad to retreat to my room. I heard the rustle of cloaks and two men appeared in the living room. I was reading a book, looking busy.  
  
"Ashleigh, I would like you to meet, your great great grandfather and uncle." He said and I looked up. Both men were tall and had white beards. They looked identical. They had the same blue eyes, but one man's eyes were twinkling from behind his half moon glasses.  
  
"Nice to meet you." I said in squeaky voice, I hated my voice when I was intimidated.  
  
"No, my dear, it is out pleasure to meet you. I haven't seen you since you were a baby." the man with half moon glasses said. I didn't recognize this man at all. I assumed he was my grandfather.  
  
"I'm your great great uncle. Call me Dumbledore. Actually, Professor Dumbledore." He said. I nodded. This guy was a college professor, I wonder if his classes were boring.  
  
"Ashleigh, Dumbledore, is the head master at Hogwarts." My dad said. It didn't register in my mind. Ok, Hogwarts. What the big deal? I wondered.  
  
"Hogwarts is where you will be attending, for your schooling. We have been over this." He said again. And this it hit me with full force. My great great uncle was in charge of my NEW school. Oh god, this is going to be torture, I thought. My great great Grandfather watched me with intense eyes. He seemed to be studying something or me.  
  
"Oh. Ok" I said and I sat back down because the rest had done the same thing. I sat there and day dreamed about what the school would be like as I read my book. I was excused shortly after, school started tomorrow. Uncle Dumbledore and my grandfather gave me a hug and said good night and good luck.  
  
"I'll be up there later to check on you. So go to sleep. I'll wake you up in the morning." He said. I nodded and made my way up stairs. My uncle was headmaster of the school I was going to. My fifth year was going to be so different. Am I even caught up with everyone else? If I'm not will they put my in a grade lower? What will happen when I get there? I obviously have a different accent then them. Maybe I just shouldn't talk for a while. I looked at the big trunk that I would have to take. I had packed all my clothes, American muggle clothes. Now I needed to pack things I would need to survive. I threw my wallet in and pushed it down deep on the side. I didn't want anyone stealing my money. I grabbed about 15 books and started to arrange them so they wouldn't get messes up. I was a huge bookworm, one of the hugest. I collected books; other wizards collected other interesting things. I collected muggle and wizard books. Next I had my make-up and my jewelry. How different is the American and English jewelry? I had a necklace from Hawaii; it was made out of a part of rock pieces. My photo album with pictures of my mom, dad and me was carefully placed between two of my thickest sweatshirts. They were black and orange, with a hood and pocket on the front. I also packed a few sweat suits, 6 pairs of shorts, 8 pairs of jeans, 12 shirts, 4 long sleeve shirts, (all very American style) and a denim jacket. The jacket belonged to my first boyfriend, Conner. He died with his parents in an accident in London on vacation. Come to think of it, the reason I hated England so much was because I lost two of my most loved ones here. My mom died in an accident on her way to her old friends house and Conner and his parents were in the wrong place at the wrong time. A tear ran down my face as I eyed the jacket, I missed Conner so much; he was my first love, my first for everything. I had given myself to him, and vice versa. The reason I went out with Alex was to get my mind off of Conner. But late at night I still found myself longing to be in his arms. I will never find love again. Ever. I brushed that memory and thought out of my head, back to packing I told myself.  
  
I needed my music; I had just bought 8 new CD's before I left America. I packed my CD player and my Cd's. I needed my music. I even played the keyboard and guitar; I used to play the clarinet but decided that it was too elementary. I packed my plush toy into the trunk, I was running out of room, I needed to pack my duck plush toy he gave me comfort. I quickly muttered spell to enlarge my trunk to make it deeper without someone noticing. I packed my pillow into trunk also; I needed the familiar smell in there. I packed my necessities, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, tooth brush, etc. etc. I needed one last thing though, my mom's perfume, I always used her perfume, and it was in my dad's room. I snuck out of my room; they were still talking in the living room. I caught part of their conversation.  
  
"He is getting stronger and he has more followers now. We need to take more action. Abbie was very brave and very strong, she stood up against Voldermort, almost killing him, and she died herself. We need you." Dumbledore's voice echoed through the house. Abbie? Wasn't that my mom? My mom's name was Abigail Elizabeth, that's where I got part of my name. Ashleigh Corrine Abigail Elizabeth Cox. My dad chose Ashleigh Corrine and my mom chose Abigail Elizabeth. She figured if guys can name their sons after them, then she could name her daughter after her.  
  
"Ok, I will, but I have to make sure that Ashleigh will be safe is anything happens. She is a very powerful girl, just like her mother and I know she can take care of herself but I don't want her to an orphan, that's all." He said. I could hear him sniffle. What were they talking about? Leaving me? Why would my dad leave me? What would happen to cause him to leave me?  
  
"I will make sure that she will not be an orphan, I will take her in myself. Protect her. And I wouldn't be surprised if she wasn't like her mother, she looks exactly like her." Her grandfather said.  
  
What were they talking about?!?! I wondered as I went into my dads room, he had boxes all over, even though some of them were un packed. my mom's box was open on his bed. I looked through it; my dad must have been rummaging through it for something. I found the perfume; it was in an old bottle, my mom had bought it from a wizarding community. The perfume filled up to the top every time it was all gone. There was an endless supply. I slowly walked back to my room, my dad's footsteps were heard coming up the stairs, and I needed to get into my room fast. I ran in there quickly but quietly. I closed the door and put the bottle in my trunk. I put an unbreakable charm on it and closed the top. I jumped under my covers and closed my eyes. The door slowly creaked open, my dad's head popped in. He came in and gave me a kiss on the forehead.  
  
"I love you sweetheart," he said. I love you too Daddy. I said silently. I was supposed to be sleeping, not last minute packing.  
  
"Ashleigh. Ashleigh. ASHLEIGH!" my father yelled from the threshold of my door. I lifted my head up an inch off my pillows the clock said 6 AM. I groaned and lay back down. My dad walked in the pulled the covers off of me. My body went with it. He caught me and stood me up.  
  
"Dadddddd." I moaned. I didn't want to go to this new school. I wanted to go back to America, where my friends were. I shifted in my spot it was quite cold. I hated England I hated it. America was so much better. I hated Hogwarts and I hated the people there. Of course I had never met them but that didn't matter. He made me get up and go down stairs for dinner. He usually wasn't up at this time in the morning.  
  
"Dad, I don't want to go." I whined. I was a big baby I admit it. But it was because I was a 16-year-old witch who was going to a new school. Everyone would already have friends and I would be left out. In the last year at my old school I was reaching the peak of popularity and now I was going to be a nobody again. A lot of hard work for nothing.  
  
"Sweetheart... please..." He started.  
  
"I know I know, I will try, but it doesn't mean will like it." I said in a tone full of attitude.  
  
"Well, doesnt matter, i don't care if you don't like it at all. Your going. You got yourself into this mess, you deal with it now." he said. It surprised me that he said this; he never said anything like that before to me.  
  
"I will." I said bitterly. I pushed my breakfast away and left the table. I needed to get ready. I was in the shower, singing...  
  
"I'm so tired of being, suppressed by all these childish feelings.... And it won't leave me alone! These wounds wont seem to heal, this pain is just too real, theres just too much that time cannot erase... And you cry I wipe away all of you tears!" I a sad song for a sad morning. I was once again alone in school. This time, neither Conner nor Izzy were going to be there to help me. I lost my two best friends.  
  
I was getting ready; I wore my flares with orange thread outlining hearts and stars on the butt and legs with my orange shirt that had monkeys on it. Everything was ready, my book in my pocket, and my owl in her cage and my trunk in the car.  
  
"Ok, lets go." he said to me. It was 10 o clock and the train left at 11. We would be there in half an hour. Plenty of time for my to find an empty compartment and sit by myself. My dad stopped in the way there and bought me a coffee. I loved coffee; it was the only thing to keep me awake. I knew a spell to disperse coffee into a cup. I drank it more than tea. Coffee was my morning wake up call.  
  
The train was packed. My dad said good-bye and slipped a note into my hand, I was there half an hour early and it was packed. I wasn't used to a big school. My old school had about 400 people total in it. I found an empty compartment though, it was in the back of the train, and I was getting a lot of stares and felt conscious. I hated to draw attention to myself; no one else was wearing flares and a t-shirt. My school robes were hideous I hated them. The only comfort that came with wearing them was the fact that I could wear my clothes under them. And on weekends I could wear my clothes without the robes. It took me awhile to get the trunk up onto the holder thing. I sat down and sighed. My Uncle told me that I would have to be sorted into a house after the first years. What a way to draw more attention to myself.  
  
The compartment door opened and four boys walked in. They didn't notice me; they put their things on top and next to mine. A boy, about my age, with black hair, blue eyes and broad shoulders finally noticed me. He didn't say a thing he just stared. I thought he was kind of cute; his shoulders reminded me of Conners. I felt a tear weld up in my eyes and I inhaled deeply staring into those big blue irises that looked at me with interest. 


	2. Arriving sorting

"Guys...guys!" The boy said to his friends, they all looked at him and not me. I felt invisible somehow.  
  
"What?" A boy with hazel eyes behind glasses and messy jet-black hair asked.  
  
"There is some one in here also." He said. All of them turned to look at me. I felt weird, when were they going to stop staring?  
  
"Oh hello." A boy with sandy blonde grayish hair said. He had gray eyes and broad shoulders as well. All of the were taller than her.  
  
"Hi." I said meekly. I hated my voice; they were looking at me again.  
  
"I'm Sirius, and this is James, Remus, and Peter." The boy with black hair and blue eyes said.  
  
"I'm Ashleigh." I said. I scolded myself for talking. I told myself over and over that I was not going to let people hear my accent. They were curious I could see it.  
  
"Where are you from?" Remus asked in his perfect English accent, if only I could master that.  
  
"America." I stated.  
  
"America?!?! An exchange student?!?! Awesome!" James, guy with glasses said. Normally I would think that glasses were a bit geeky but they suited James well, he looked quite hansom in them.  
  
"Yeah." I said, all four of them sat down. I didn't want them to sit down; I wanted to be left alone to read. Remus said next to me. While Sirius, James and Peter squished themselves into the seat across from me.  
  
"So what year are you in?" Sirius asked still eyeing her. In his opinion, she was hot. She had shoulder length honey blonde hair, hazel eyes and she was thin, her boobs were too bad either. They looked like a B or a C.  
  
"I'm in 5th year." I said pulling my legs up to my chest. He was staring at my boobs. He looked away, yup my boobs.  
  
"So are we." Remus said.  
  
"Cool." I said. My coffee started to disappear. I was starting to get sleepy. I leaned my head against the window, they were talking about their summer and I felt myself drifting to sleep. My favorite song played in my head as I drifted into a deep sleep.  
  
I was in a field of lilies watching for someone, my mom appeared next to me. She looked to me for help. I saw a flash of red eyes looking, searching for my mother. It wasn't long before I heard a scream and a mutter of a spell. A green light flashed before my eyes and coldness filled my body. I knew, somehow I knew, even though I didn't see it happen, I knew my mom was dead.... dead. And I could have done something I could have stopped it.  
  
A hand shook me awake. I sleepily looked around. Sirius was in front of my face.  
  
"Were we that boring that you thought sleep was better?" he asked with a sexy grin on his face. My heart jumped up. I shook my head no. The train had stopped. He helped me out of my seat. The other 3 had left the compartment already. He slipped my arm through his. I felt myself go numb as a shiver went up and down my body.  
  
"Rough night?" he asked me. I nodded, the reason I hadn't slept before was because I had the same exact dream the night before. It haunted my dreams ever since we moved to England. Along with watching Conner die. They, my mom and Conner, died the same way, almost; each dream there was a flash of green light. He led me off the train and into a carriage that had no horse. Which was odd, very odd.  
  
"Your newest victim?" A sour and bitter voice asked behind us. I tried to look to see who said it but the carriage moved forward.  
  
"Ashleigh Cox... please come with me." A strict looking elderly woman said. Panic rose in me so fast, my heart was beating fast, I hated getting into trouble. I felt like I was going to be sick. Surely I was going to get another lecture on being good. I followed this woman; leaving behind the kind guys who talked to me before, not sure if I would see much of them again. We entered an office everything was neat and orderly. Unlike her father's files at home.  
  
"You are new to this school, there fore you will be sorted after the first years have been sorted, understood?" She asked me. I nodded. Maybe she didn't know about my past.  
  
"And Dumbledore has informed me about your mistakes, he also informs me that you had no part in it, you just took the blame. I will expect you to act accordingly and appropriately... understand?" She asked me again and once again I nodded. She led me out of her office to join the first years.  
  
"When I call you name step up to the stool and put the hat over your head." She told the new first years and me. She called all of the first years' names. All of them sorted. I learned the names of the houses fairly quick. Gryfindor, Hufflepuff, Slytherin, and Ravenclaw. I was waiting for her to call my name but my Uncle stood up instead.  
  
"We have a new student this year. She is in her 5th year and she is from America, we are going to Sort her next. Ashleigh Cox, please step forward." He said gently, for some reason, a mixture of love and fear were mixing inside me. All eyes were on me again; they were on me from the very beginning. I stepped forward and put the hat on my head. It slipped past my eyes.  
  
"Hmmmm, Wow, you are tough.... why? Well, you are Brave, very brave, you have been through a lot and would give you life up to those who you are loyal too. But you are not loyal to many, very little in fact. You are extremely intelligent and very ambiguous, but where to place you? Hmmmmm, Bravery is out weighing everything else.... Gryfindor!" The hat said. The gryfindors cheered loudly. I noticed Sirius clapping loudly and grinning. I felt myself blushing as I quickly got off the chair; I sat near a girl with red hair.  
  
"Hi! I'm Lily!" She said in a cheery voice. I smiled.  
  
"I'm Ashleigh." I said. Lily introduced me to all her friends they seemed very friendly. Maybe I wasn't going to be an outcast after all. 


	3. Dueling

There was a huge feast; I hadn't seen so much food before. I was hungry too. I hadn't eaten my breakfast or lunch. I was overdue; maybe that was why I was so tired right now. I finished my food; everyone was about to fall asleep because they were so full. I followed Lily to our Dorm; thank god I got to sleep with the 5th years. I walked over to my trunk, my owl Haleigh wasn't there though. She must be with the other owls. My eyes burned underneath my eyelids. I needed sleep, sweet, glorious sleep. My head hit the pillow I pulled out from my trunk, I'll take a shower in the morning, and I am tired. I slowly drifted to sleep.  
  
"Help!" I heard my mothers voice yell. I turned to my left my mother was on the floor. A man with black hair helped her up and carried her into a nearby house. "Shhhh, you're going to be fine." He said to her. I recognized that voice; it was my dad's. "He will kill us if we don't keep moving." She said with pain in her voice.  
  
"He's gone, he won't come back, I promise." My fathers voice was filled with passion. "Jon, he.... he ... killed my parents." "I know." He hugged her tight. "Mommy! Daddy!" I came running into the room, or at least the 4 year old me did. They both looked at my 3-year-old self.  
  
I woke up sweating, I wasn't breathing right. I was hyperventilating; I didn't know what to do. I raced out of the dorm and down the staircase to the common room, I needed more air, I felt cramped in there. Claustrophobic. My breathing was slowing down somewhat. No one was in the common room, just me. It was 3 in the morning. I slowly walked back to my room. I was home sick, that's all it was. But that dream, it had to be just that. A DREAM. I never remembered that at all. Maybe it was caused by my dream earlier today. I went back to sleep, no dream this time.  
  
"Ashleigh, you might want to wake up. We have to be in the great hall in half an hour." Lily said. I jumped out of bed and got into the shower, a majority of the girls took a shower the night before. Lily, Alyssa, Jezebel, and Courtney shared a dorm with me. I got out of the shower within 5 minutes short showers were my specialty. Jezebel and Courtney left for the great hall. Lily and Alyssa waited for me.  
  
"You guys didn't have to wait, but thank you." I said in a small voice. I was pulling on shorts and a tank top under my robes. I put on one of my many necklaces and grabbed a tube of lip-gloss out of my trunk. We went down to the common room; Sirius, James, Remus and Peter were walking in front of us.  
  
"They are the maurders... don't get involved with them, they will only use you and break your heart. Guaranteed." Lily said. Alyssa nodded. I watched them talk, laugh and play around on their way to the great hall. Even though I wanted Sirius, I wasn't going to get my heart broken, again.  
  
At breakfast we got our "timetables" but I still call them schedules. It was weird, I wasn't used to things running like this. My first class of the day was Herbology, not my favorite. Lily had to back track to the dorm to get her book. I stood there right by the front doors waiting for her and Alyssa. I knew they wanted to talk about me, whether it was good or bad. I hoped it was good though; I wanted to fit in so badly.  
  
"Hey." A sly voice came from my right. I turned to face a slick blonde headed guy. He was tall, and kind of cute.  
  
"Hi." I said to him. For some reason he seemed arrogant to me. I didn't like his attitude.  
  
"Hey Malfoy! Why don't you go and get yourself a slytherin you git!" I heard Sirius' voice over the crowd of noise. Sirius walked up toward Malfoy and me. His blue eyes were blazing like fire, he seemed mad.  
  
"Why don't you go and mind your own business." Malfoy said to Sirius. I looked at both of them. A guy with greasy hair and a hooked nose stood behind Malfoy, as if to be his back up.  
  
"I've got to go." I said turning to leave.  
  
"See, you are chasing away the girls now." Malfoy said and then the dueling started. Sirius whipped out his wand first. He turned Malfoy's hair pink. Malfoy unarmed Sirius and he flew against the nearest wall. I ran to Sirius to help him but I was thrown against the same wall as well. My head hit it with such force; it felt like my eyes were going to be knocked out of their sockets. I fell to the floor, so much pain radiated from my head. It was screaming with pain. The only thing I could think of as I grabbed my wand out of my robes was to get this guy back. I counter their spell with a transfiguration spell, they both turned into large snails with bright pink shells and wigs on. That spell took the last of my strength; I fell to the ground again. My head pounding, I had never felt so much pain before.  
  
"That's it! I want the four of you to follow me right now!" Professor Mcgonagall yelled as she turned Snape and Malfoy back into their human form. She couldn't turn the hair back because it was a sticking spell. We all followed her to an ugly gargoyle and up the spiraling staircase. Professor Dumbledore was sitting behind his desk writing something on his parchment. He looked up and his eyes stopped twinkling as he spotted me behind Sirius and Snape. He shook his head slightly. I knew what he was thinking. He was disappointed, but it wasn't my fault, I was standing there, minding MY own business and they attacked ME! I was only counter acting on that attack!  
  
"Professor, all four of them were responsible for a duel in the hall outside the great door." Professor McGonagall said. Dumbledore nodded and dismissed her. He conjured up four chairs and placed them opposite of him.  
  
"Now, I want ONE person to explain to me what happened. Ashleigh will start." He said looking at me, his long fingers touching. I looked at him and inhaled deeply.  
  
"Well, see, Lily had forgotten her book and Alyssa went with her and I didn't want to go. I wanted fresh air, yet I didn't know where the herbology green house was. So I told them I would wait. And then this guy here, I think his name is Malfoy. He came up and said Hi. And then Sirius came and told him to go get a Slytherin girl and Malfoy said mind your own business and then I said I have to go cause I didn't want to get into the middle of something, and it turned into a duel. Sirius whipped out his wand the exact same time as Malfoy, and then He turned his hair pink. And then he disarmed Sirius and I went to help Sirius up and as I did, since I was...." I had to stop my head was swarming, I felt light headed. Hopefully there wasn't a concussion.  
  
"Go on." Dumbledore urged her. I closed my eyes, they were burning again and my head throbbed. I didn't want to continue. But I did anyway.  
  
"I was too close to the wall, I don't know if they were aiming at me or Sirius but I got the rough end of it and hit the wall full on, head first. I then whipped out my wand and turned them into Pink Snails." I said and I tried so hard not laugh at the last part. But when Sirius started to laugh at the sight of this I started to laugh.  
  
"Hem hem." Dumbledore cough, I could see that he was trying to not laugh but his eyes held amusement.  
  
"I am sorry Professor. Really I am." I said.  
  
"What type of spell did you hit them with?" He asked me. I shrugged.  
  
"A transfiguration spell. I think. And a switching spell for the hair, a sticking switching spell. Which means the color wont fade no matter what for about 2 weeks to a month. I didn't do a very strong one." I said snickering. I bit my lip to stop me from laughing.  
  
"I see. And where did you learn this spell?" He asked me. I really didn't want to answer. I had learned it from my mom. She taught me a lot before she died. I definitely was not going to tell Dumbledore this in front of everyone. So I shrugged.  
  
"I don't know, I just did." I said not looking him in the eye. He nodded.  
  
"I see... well, regardless of what happened. All four of you will receive detention. Snape, Malfoy you will help Filch and Ashleigh, Sirius, you will help Hagrid. Tomorrow night. Understood?" He asked everyone nodded.  
  
"You guys may go to your next class... Ashleigh please stay behind." He said kindness was in his voice. I obeyed him, but I felt mad, alienated. Once they were gone there was a few minutes of awkward silence.  
  
"Where did you really learn that spell?" He asked her. I inhaled deeply.  
  
"My mom." I stated and that's as far as I was going to go too.  
  
"I see. Your mom was an outstanding person. Very brave. She was the top of her class also. Your dad was just under her. They fell in love at this school." Dumbledore said. His eyes were getting hazy. He looked like he was dreaming. He soon snapped out of it though.  
  
"Well then, what class do you have next?" He asked her. I pulled my schedule out of my pocket. Muggle Studies.  
  
"Muggle Studies." Ashleigh said. Dumbledore raised an eyebrow at her.  
  
"What? I like to learn it from a wizards' perspective." I said innocently. He smiled and dismissed me. I looked back and he was writing on the same parchment. 


	4. Detention

The Forbidden Forest was dark and scary, I held onto her wand tightly. I was serving my detention with Hagrid and Sirius, Hagrid went one way to and Sirius and I stayed to the path.  
  
"It's called the Forbidden Forest for a reason!" I said while i almost stumbled over a rock on the path.  
  
"You're not scared are you?" He asked her. I looked at him with a 'yeah right' expression on my face.  
  
"I'm not scared. I was just commenting." I said, i wasnt going to act scared in front of this git. Git, it was my new word, I learned what it meant earlier today, Lily had told me.  
  
"Yah know, i just learned what Git means today." I said. He looked at me like was crazy. Then i felt like i wqas crazy, i heard a howl. A wolf, or a werewolf, i had dreams about werewolves. I tensed up immediately, i also noticed that Sirius did the same. We heard the same howl, yet closer. It was getting closer. I gripped my wand tighter. Sirius put his arm around me and pulled me close.  
  
"What are you doing?" I asked. He loosened his grip a bit.  
  
"I was the one who got scared." He said still looking around. Then I heard galloping, and a snap of a twig. I started to shake. What if soemthing came out and tried to kill us? Then out of the corner of my eye, i saw it. A werewolf coming straight at us. I freaked. Sirius turned into a big shaggy black dog. I quickly pulled out my wand and stunned the werewolf. A stag appeared right next to it. I started to run, I ran and i ran and i ran. Until i finally bumped into Hagrid. I landed on the forest floor with a Oof.  
  
"Whatcha doin?" He asked me. I looked up with pure terror on my face. He was going to bite me! i was going to die a moment before, or worse, be cursed. Sirisu appeared behind me panting.  
  
"What happened?" Hagrid asked accusingly. I looked to Sirius and my eyes got big, a moment before he was a big black shaggy dog, He turned into an animal, Maybe thats what I WANTED to see. So My eyes played a trick on me.  
  
"A wolf almost attacked us." Sirius said boaring into my eyes, he was trying to tell me not to tell. I knew what that look was.  
  
"Ok, well, i think that is enough for tonight. Ashleigh do you need to see the nurse?" He asked helping me up. His hands were huge i shook my head no meekly and i left. I just walked as fast as i could. Sirius caught up with me.  
  
"Ashleigh! Ash!" He yelled out to me, i wouldnt solw down though. I wouldnt. He finally caught up with me and pulled me around to face him. I could see panic in his eyes, i was scared. Who was this guy and what did he want?  
  
"Ashleigh, listen to me." He said softly to me. I was listening. I wanted to know the truth, i couldnt help it if i NEEDED to know the truth all the time. It was a flaw of mine. I couldnt leave something alone with out knowing the truth.  
  
"Ok." I said standing there looking at him accusingly.  
  
"So you will talk? Ok, fine ummmm, what you saw.... isnt what you think it is." Sirius said. He was obviously struggling.  
  
"Oh?" I asked.  
  
"Yeha, um.... what did you see?" He asked her nervously.  
  
"It's more like, what was that? What did you do and how?" Ashleigh asked him.  
  
"Ok, that was a werewolf.... and i am an anamagius." Sirius said looking into my eyes, trying to find what he was not goinng to find, panic, confusion.  
  
"Anamagius?" I asked him. Wasnt that illegal? Was he a registered Anamigius?  
  
"Yeah, and I was just trying to protect you... i swear." He said. I looked him in his eyes, he was telling the truth. But where did that werewolf come from? I wondered about the whole night while going up to my Dorm. I had my dirty clothes on my bed. two outfits needed to be cleaned. I picked up the pants i wore on the train. I searched my pokets and found the letter my dad gave me, i was going to read it on the train but forgot about it. I usually get easily distracted. The dorm was quiet, no one else was in there. I was alone, i hated being alone. I opened the letter.  
  
Ashleigh, Look, I know that you dont want to go to this school and i know that you didnt want to move to England, I'm sorry but this is what it is, you need to except that. You made some bad choices in your life and that is going to affect you all though out your life. I know, you dont want to hear this but you have to. I am your father and I love you and will not leave you. Ok, no matter what i will be here for you. If you need to talk just owl me and i will owl right back, i promise. I love you sweetheart, stay out of trouble.  
  
P.S. If you need help in anything, physical or mental go to DUmbledore. Ask him, he will help you.  
  
Tears spilled down my cheeks, i needed sleep today. I opened my trunk, i look through everything and i found my sleeping pills. I needed sleep. I pulled out my CD player and my CD's, i tried to turn it on but it wouldnt work. I kept pushing the button, it worked perfectly at home, what was going on? These were new batteries. Lily walked in and spotted me.  
  
"Hey, whatcha doin?" She asked me.  
  
"Trying to get this to work." I sad still pushing the button.  
  
"Oh.... Um, electronics dont work on Hogwarts grounds." Lily said. I looked at her, how was i supposed to make this work without power? She had to leave to get her homework and take a shower, leaving me all alone. I did the math and calculated all the possible out comes of all the spells I could use to make my CD player work. It took me an hour to get it right, i almost blew my CD player up and i turned it into a frog on accident. But i successfully got it to run on magic. Which was great, because i popped my Less Than Jake CD in and started to drift to the music.  
  
Ashleigh was in the woods, the werewolf was heading straight for her! Sirisu jumped in the way and it was Remus who was jumping toward them with teeth bared. Then he turned into Conner, and Conner hit Sirius. "COnner!" Ashleigh yelled, she hugged him. He held her, she felt his arms encircle her. She felt safe. "Ashleigh..." He whispered into her ear. He wiped the tears from her eyes. "Conner, you left me, you promised you wouldnt and you did." Ashleigh said she was on the verge of hysterics. "Ash.... Baby, listen to me... I was murdered, your dreams they are real.... everyone is real..." He whispered to her, she could only catch fragments of what he was saying. "Conner, what are you talking about? they are only nightmares." Ashleigh said, her voice was full of doubt. A lot of doubt. "Baby, listen to your.... he....heart." He said... he was slowly disappearing. She ran after him wildly but he was going to fast or seh was going to slow. 


	5. Deamless sleep

My alarm started to go off. Damn that fucking alarm! And damn her stupid dreams! It was five thirty and I wanted to be up and ready before everyone else. I brushed and blow dried my hair. My make up was neatly placed in the little alcove above my bed, with a mirror. I carefully applied my eye liner, mascara and eye shadow, I looked like my old self. I looked great! I made it to the Great Hall before everyone else. No one was there except Professor Dumbledore, he was reading the Daily Prophet. I remembered her dads letter and decided to ask him about my dreams.  
  
"Um, Professor Dumbledore." I asked, he looked up and smiled.  
  
"How can i help you today Miss COx?" He asked me. I took a deep breath.  
  
"My dad said that if i had or needed any help with something i should come to you." I said, hoping my dad didnt just say that for comfort.  
  
"What ever it is that you need i will try my best to help you." He said. I nodded.  
  
"I am having a lot of nightmares lately. And I dont know if they are real, not real, but if they mean something." I said trying to explain.  
  
"All too often dreams point us in the right direction, they have hidden meanings." Dumbledore said. I nodded.  
  
"Tell me about one of your dreams, maybe i can help you." He said. I didnt know whether i wanted to share or not.  
  
"Well, they mostly involve, My mom, My ex- boyfriend and sometimes a werewolf." I said, i was going to tell him the story.  
  
"What does it involve?" He asked me.  
  
"Its always the same thing, night after night except last night. Usually My mom and Conner, my ex-boyfriend, die. Cause they are dead, but theres a green light, and then it gets cold, and there is always this tall pale figure, hes scary and he tried to make my mom beg for her life. But she wouldnt, and then he kills COnner and his family. But last night it was like COnner was trying to TALK to me. there was conversation between us, and it hasnt happened before. Anyway, thats what happens. Last night felt so real." I said. Dumbledore's eyes went from twinkling to alarming. I didnt know what was so alarming, maybe it was the fact that i wasnt over thier deaths.  
  
"Wow, thats a lot to have on your shoulders." He stated. I nodded sadly, i felt like crying again.  
  
"What was he telling you last night?" He asked me. I looked up.  
  
"He told me to follow my heart no matter, no matter the circumstances." I said. DUmbledore nodded, putting his long fingers together.  
  
"You have to fight these dreams off yourself. No one else can do it for you." he said then a few people staggered in, one of them being Sirius. I watched him, he was hot and irrisistable.  
  
"Ok, thank you" I said and i took my seat. Sirius sat near me.  
  
"Hey, look i wanted to ask you about last night..." He started. I looked at him with worry in my eyes.  
  
"Sirius, dont worry, i'll keep your secret safe." I said and we ate in silence. Everyone else came in.  
  
"Thank you." he muttered leaving the hall with Remus, James and Peter.  
  
Nights came and went and then I started to make up spells. I was only messing around with some of the old ancient spells. I was in the Room of Requirement, working on a past spell. I wanted so bad to go back in time and see my mom and Conner, it was my goal. But the more i tried the more i realized it was near impossible. One night while I was in the Common room, I noticed Remus leaving. He had been leaving once a month to go home. Another person in his family was sick. I yearned to have a family that i could go home to, all i had was my dad. I was working on my potions, doing more than required. I needed help with my dreamless sleep potion though. And the only one int eh school who was the best at potions was Snape. He could brew anything, I needed his help. Sirius sat down next to me.  
  
"What are you working on?" He asked me, while i was watching Remus leave the common room.  
  
"Potions." I said still distracted by my train of thought. Ever since school started, which has been three months so far, Remus has been gone for a day during each month, like clock work.  
  
"Potions?!?!?!?! We had homework!" He asked outraged.  
  
"No, this is free potions, i'm learning on my own time." I said. He looked at me like i was insane. I needed to get to the library. I rushed to the library, I had 3 hours before curfew took place. By a stroke of luck i spotted Snape in there.  
  
"Sna... I mean Severus." I said, Malfoy was sitting next to him. They both turned and eyed me.  
  
"Yes?" He asked.  
  
"I was wondering if you could help me with a potion." I said looking at Malfoy. It was a Saturday and i was wearing hig huggers and a small long sleeve shirt. It showed about and inch of my skin in between them.  
  
"What kind of potion?" He asked me. I debated whether i should go through with this or not. I should.  
  
"A dreamless sleep potion." I said nonchalantly.  
  
"Ok." He said. I smiled.  
  
"Thanks. I have all the ingredients and the directions." I said opening up my bag and placing the stuff on the table. Luckily we were behind a shelf of books so it blocked the veiw of Maadam Pince.  
  
"What do you need this for?" Malfoy questioned her.  
  
"I need it because I am not getting much sleep at night." I told him and i made him drop the subject. Snape instructed me on how to do everything while i took extensive notes. When he waqs finished he handed me a flask with the liquid in it.  
  
"Are you sure this will work?" I asked him. he nodded. We made enough fro a week.  
  
"Thank you so much." I said and I gave him a hug after i packed all my things. I knew i was stepping over the line but it didnt matter. I made my way back to the common room, the freshly brewed potion in my hands. I bumped into something but nothing was there. Then i turned and i tripped over something, the flask flew out of my hand, landed on the floor and spilled all over the corridor. That was the last straw. I started to bawl. Tears rolled down my cheeks and onto the floor and in my hands. I couldnt stop crying, a hand was placed on my shoulder. It was Dumbledore. His eyes were kind. he understood.  
  
"Come with me." He said. with a flick of his wand the mess was cleaned up. We entered his office. I didnt know if it was against the rules to make potions that were not assigned to you.  
  
"Can you tell me what you are doing?" He said. I looked up, my eyes were still puffy.  
  
"I was making a dreamless sleep potion." I said casting my eyes down again.  
  
"Why?" He asked me.  
  
"I cant sleep anymore, i try to, but i cant. I wake up crying every night, i dont know what it is. I need help. I need sleep. I am so damn close to resorting to ANYTHING. Please, i just want sleep." I said. He looked at me. And nodded. We left his office and went to the hospital wing. Madam Pomphrey came bustleing out of her office.  
  
"What is it Albus?" She asked him.  
  
"I need Miss Cox to stay here and she needs a dreamless sleep potion, let her stay until she thinks she is ready to leave. and give her the potion whenever she needs it." Dumbledore said. She nodded and got me a goblet full of a steamy potion. I drank it all up. And i soon fell asleep. 


	6. communicating

I woke up refreshed and renewed. I felt great! A little hungry but great none the less.  
  
"Ah! Miss Cox! You finally decided to join us!" Lily said. I smiled. Ah sweet Lily and wonderful Alyssa. They must really be my friends. I stretched.  
  
"Ahhhhhh, yeah, i feel great!" I said stretching all my limbs. Sirius walked in with James, and Remus following.  
  
"Hey! Its about time! We thought you might be dead." Sirius said. He handed me a red rose. I smiled adn blushed.  
  
"OOOoooooooooo!" Everyone made that sound, making me and Sirius blush even more. But the genuine grin on Sirius' face never left.  
  
"Oh hush!" I said sushing them, i was soooo hungry. Madam Pomphrey came out.  
  
"Welcome back, I never thought a person could sleep so much." She said. Sleep so much? It was only a night. Or was it?  
  
"How long was I asleep?" I asked them all.  
  
"A good 4 days. You must be malnutrished. So all of you guys out.... OUT! She needs to eat and drink. She'll be out in..." Madam Pomphrey never go to finish. Dumbledore walked in.  
  
"She can come to the great hall to eat." Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling.  
  
"Ok, whatever you say headmaster." She said and they left. Remus and Sirius helped me walked. I couldnt walk normally. They set me down in front of the table. People were staring at me again. I hated that. I ate quietly and fast. Boy was i hungry. I wasnt going to eat like a pig in front of these people. Even if i hadnt eaten for over 4 days. I would just have to sneak food out of the kitchens. My dad had told me a lot about Hogwats. He told me about the Room of Requirement, the kitchens and the passage way to Hogmeade.  
  
"So, Ashleigh, did you have a nice long sleep." Sirius asked.  
  
"Yes, i did, i loved it." I said. I realized that they didnt know why i was put in the hospital wing to sleep.  
  
"Why were you in there?" Alyssa finally asked after a long awkward silience. I had to think of something quick.  
  
"Home sick. I was homesick. I wasnt getting much sleep. So i made a sleeping potion and i accidently spilled it all over. DUmbledore took me to the hospital wing and you know the rest." I said pushing a peice of chicken into my mouth. We finished our meal and we to bed soon after we hung out in the common room. I snuck back down, Sirius was sitting in front of the fire.  
  
"Couldnt sleep?" He asked with his back to me. I stopped dead in my tracks. How did he know it was me?  
  
"Nope. 4 days of sleep does that to ya." I joked. i was in a much lighter mood.  
  
"You didnt eat much at dinner." He said. I sighed. I was going to have to tell him about the kitchens.  
  
"I figured if i was still hungry i would go down to the kitchens and get something." I said.  
  
"YOu know where they are?" He asked me. I nodded.  
  
"How did you find out?" He asked again, i felt like i was getting the 5th degree.  
  
"My dad told me about all the passages in Hogwarts." I said.  
  
"Amazing." He whispered. What? What was amazing. My stomached growled. Oh you stupid stomach. SHUT UP! I internally yelled at it. He was laughing.  
  
"I think you are still hungry." he said. I smiled and shrugged.  
  
"Come on, lets go." he said grabbing her hand. I followed him to the portrait hole. He stopped and ran to his dorm. I stood there confused. He came bounding down the stairs holding a cloak.  
  
"Invisibility cloak." He stated putting it over both of us. We snuck out and left the common room. The kitchens weren't that far but we had encountered a few obstacles along the way. Filch, the caretaker, had a cat that tried to get us caught. We made it to the kitchens, little house elves were running around. Sirius stopped one.  
  
"What can Courtsey get Sir and Miss?" The little elf ask in a squeky voice.  
  
"Ummm, how about some left over chicken, noodles and cake." Sirius said checkinng with me, i nodded. The elf ran off gathering the things. He packed them in a bag and handed them to us.  
  
"Wow, I ahve never seen a house elf up close before." I said.  
  
"Really?" He asked me. I nodded. My dad was so into muggles that i practically grew up as a muggle. If it werent for my pure blood.  
  
"Yeah, my dad was in love with Muggle inventions and muggle ways, I grew up around it. So i got the best of both worlds." I said. We were in teh common room again, this time we laid the food out on the table. We munched on things and ate happily. It was like a date.  
  
"Your lucky that your mom and dad love you." Sirius said bitterly looking into the fire. The way he said mom made me choke on a peice of chicken.  
  
"Are you ok?" He asked her concerned.  
  
"Yeah. Yeah i am fine." I said. I stood up quickly.  
  
"I guess its time to get some sleep. Huh?" I asked him. He nodded slowly eyeing me. I quickly said goodngith and went up to bed. My head hit the pillow and i was out.  
  
"Ashleigh! Ashleigh! i know you can hear me! Answer me please." Conner's voice begged her. She had her hands over her ears and was trying to sleep. "I can't see you, And if i cant see you than you are not real." Ashleigh muttered. "You can't see love. But you knwo that is real." Conner said shyly. "This is different, I am imagining you." Asheigh said. "No you arent. Ashleigh you have a rare ability...." He said but Asheligh started to chant 'lalala' "Ash!" This time is was her mother. Her eyes flung open. "Mommy." Ashleigh said. She nodded. "Ashleigh, listen to him, i dont know how you are doing it, but somehow..." Her mom said but she had to look away. Ashleigh looked to Conner for answers. "You communicate with the...." His voice was getting smaller and smaller. Her alarm clock was draining his voice out. "Noooooooooo!" Ashleigh screamed.  
  
Lily, Alyssa, Courtney and Jezabel were standing around me. I looked at each one. Lily and Alyssa had concern on thier faces. Jezabel and Courtney had a look of terror.  
  
"What happened?" Lily asked sitting on the bed side.  
  
"I must have had a bad dream... i cant remember it though." I said, but i knew it quite well. It was going to haunt my mind for a long time. 


	7. Thongs

I was right, my dream arroused questions in me. SO many questions. Sirius wasnt helping any either. He kept going out with girl after girl. He rarely talked to me any more. But that was fine. No distractions. Ok, I was jealous! I admit it! But at least I have the balls to admit when soemthing is bothering me. Unlike Sirius! Ok, so i'm a little mad, you would be too if you had to just witness something so disgiusting that it would make you throw up. Sirius had just broke up with his latest girl, a fourth year from Gyrfindor. She was crying and Sirius just shrugged it off. Jezabel walked by and he grabbed her by her waist.  
  
"Oh ho! YOu have to give me one kiss before i let you continue on." Sirius said smiling. Jezabel didnt have a problem with this. She kissed him. It disguisted me. Sirius' ex-girlfriend ran to her dorm crying. The few people who were in the room gave him a bad look. The truth about Sirius Black was coming out. I chased after the girl, her name was Patty.  
  
"Um, Patty?" I asked outside her door.  
  
"What is it?" She asked through her tears. I slowly walked in.  
  
"Are you ok?" I asked her. She sat up and wiped her tears.  
  
"Y...y...yeah." She studdered. I saw right through her. I felt pitty for her.  
  
"Patty, I...." I didnt want to say 'I'm sorry' that was corny.  
  
"Dont worry about it." Patty said.  
  
"No! I am going to! What he did was wrong...." A smile played on my lips. I had an idea.  
  
"And we are going to make him pay." I said giving a small short laugh, at seeing her smile.  
  
We had everything set, 5 girls taking revenge. Alyssa, Lily, Patty and her best friend Cece, and of course me. We had everything planned! Lily and Alyssa were standing gaurd. Patty and I were in the boys' dorm room. And Cece was the distraction. Patty and I were charming the boys' clothes to hide. So they wouldnt have nay clothes what so ever. I felt kind of bad when i was charming Peters', Remus' and James' clothes but i had to. Patty and I were giggling as we walked back into the common room. James and Sirius walked in after thier quidditch practice, they were all muddy and wet.  
  
"Sirius!" I called out, a sexy smile playing on my lips. He came toward me with a triumphant smile on his face. Oh he knew nothing!  
  
"YOu look really sexy! But let me make you even better." I said and i whispered a spell to dry his clothes while jinking them like the rest. Lily did the same to James. It took me 2 weeeks to teach the charm to Lily, Patty, Cece and Alyssa. They walked into their dorms to take a shower before supper. We all burst out laughing at our little inside joke. We hurried from the common room to the Great Hall. But i had to do one last thing, after everyone left the common room to go to the Great Hall i stayed behind to put on the final touches. I conjured up 2 thongs, one pink and fuzzy and the other one was silky and it had snake skin print. I left them floating in the air right outside their dorm room.  
  
Every student and teacher was in the Great Hall. It was the Halloween feast, a great day to do the prank. Knowing Sirius, he would come straight down to the Great Hall to get revenge on the one responsible, no matter what. All five of us tried to keep straight faces during dinner but it was hard for Patty, and Alyssa. And when they would snigger, the rest of us would. Remus kept asking about our odd behavior.  
  
"It's nothing Remus, just a inside joke, thats all. A girl thing." I said. Before he could question me more the doors to the great hall burst open. Theyw ere bnoth standing there, James ahd his hand over his front and butt. Sirisu was just standing there, as if nothing happened. Sirius was wearing the pink fuzzy thong and James had the snakeskin one. Everyone's head turned and they immediately started laughing. I was laughing so hard that i fell out of my chair. Profassor McGonagall wasnt too happy though.  
  
"Mr. Potter! Mr. Black! Go to my office right now!" She said scolding them.  
  
"But Professor! Someone jinxed our clothes! We have nothing!" Sirisu complained. She looked at them as if they were lying.  
  
"And who would do this?" McGonalgall asked. They both pointed to Snape.  
  
"Him!" They both yelled. Snape stopped laughing. They couldnt, they wouldnt.  
  
"Mr. Snape, please join them." She informed him.  
  
"Nut Professor!" Snape tried to resist.  
  
"No Buts!" She said. I couldnt let him get into trouble because of me. Oh great! My stupid little concious is back!  
  
"Professor! It was me! I did it! not Snape! I can prove it! I'll tell you exactly what jinxes i used." I said feeling ashamed. But he had helped me once and now it was time to return the favor.  
  
"My office! all three of you! NOw!" She yelled. We obeyed her. I walked behind Sirius and James for a minute until they realized i was behind them.  
  
"There's nothing much to see anyway boys." I said as i passed them into her office. They were both red in the face when i looked at them again.  
  
"Why did you do this?" Sirius asked me.  
  
"I was just trying to display you as eye candy, let the girls get a real glimpse, before they end up getting thier heart broken by you." I said, i knew i didnt make sense but i couldnt say that i did it for Patty. Because then she would get into trouble too. I realized that pretty soon the thongs would disappear, just liek everything else that gets conjured up. I took the robes off my back and handed them to James. I wasnt too happy becuase i was wearing a sports bra and jeans under my robes. Thank god the sports bra extended just above my belly button. James took the robes from me and put them on. Sirius needed some too, otherwise i would see his goods, or lack of.  
  
"Accio Robes!" I said with the flick of my wand. Half a minute passed before another pair of my robes flew through the window. I handed them to Sirius, as he was putting them on his thong disappeared and i blushed and turned away. He smiled at me.  
  
"What?" He asked. I closed my eyes.  
  
"Dreaming about what you saw... want to brand it in your memory for ever?" He asked with his arrogant tone. I shot him a bad look. I thought back to walking behind them, James had a very white ass and Sirius ass was perfect. Great in porportion and color was faboulous. Professor McGonagal walked in at that moment.  
  
"Ok, to the point, You have 2 weeks worth of detentions and you are to unjinx thier clothes and put them away." McGonagall said to me, i hung my head in shame.  
  
"Ha!" Sirius mocked me and McGonagall rounded on him.  
  
"YOu two have a weeks of detention. Now leave my office all of you." She said, we left with not problem. Everyone was still in the Great Hall so the common room was empty.  
  
"Our dorm is up here. But you already knew the huh?" Sirius said smirking. God, I loathed him so much and yet he was so god damn sexy! I unhexed all thier clothes, and i was neatly placing them back where i found them. Sirius was in the bathroom and James was down in the common room. I packing Sirius' clothes back into his trunk. I saw a leather bound journal. Sirius kept a journal? I looked toward the bathroom, he should be a while. Curiousity had overcome me, so i opened the journal.  
  
'I think I am in love. But i am so scared, she is everything i have ever wanted. She is briliant and beautiful and great. She even has a sense of humor. But i am afraid of her, what if she doesnt like me back? And all this other shyt that keeps flowing through my mind. Bloody Hell! What is wrong with me? I am usually the king of all women, but when it comes to her, i freeze.... She is perfect, Her name is.....'  
  
I heard the turn and click of the knob and threw the journal into his trunk again. Piling clothes on top of it. He appeared next to her.  
  
"Hey... you know, that was a great trick... congradulations, you got me." He said, but the way he said you got me sounded sexual. Love? How could he love some girl? he was a player!  
  
"Yeah, your too easy to get." I played around. He laughed and pulled me into a hug. My heart was racing so fast. I wanted to kiss him, feel his lips on my lips. And i could feel from the shortness of his breath that he wanted the same. We got closer, he bent down a little and i looked up. Our lips were getting close. No! My mind yelled. I ignored it though, I couldnt hear it over the sound of my heart beating. No! Conner! I stopped dead, no longer moving. I heard that one, it was hard to miss. I pulled back.  
  
"No." I said. He looked at me astonished. As if this had never happened to him before.  
  
"Why not?" He asked in a sexy voice. His accent could melt my heart.  
  
"Because I am not one of your whores who you kiss and diss." I said leaving him standing there alone.  
  
I was in my dorm room. Conner. I kept thinking about him. There was a picture of him in my photo album. he was standing next to me outside our school. I remembered that day, we had just finished our exams for each class. We wanted to celebrate, but Izzy had to leave early. It was just the two of us and we went to the beach. We skipped out of school to go to the beach. it was wonderful, that was when he first said 'I love you'. He was waving wildly at the camera. Always so eagar and hyper. He was very funny, the class clown. His bright green and blue eyes glowed off the picture. His smile made my heart ache to be near him. Part of my heart was missing, he took it with him. Never going to give it back. The same with my mom. I was staring longingly at the picture. Lily walked in.  
  
"Hey, how much trouble did you get in?" Lily asked. Alyssa was closing the door.  
  
"Two weeks' detention." I said. She walked over to me and sat down on my left side while Alyssa sat on my right. The picture caught Lil'y's eye.  
  
"Who is that?" She asked.  
  
"Me and my ex." I said quietly.  
  
"Wow!, He's hot." Alyssa commented.  
  
"Yeah, he was." I stated staring deep into his eyes. I missed those eyes.  
  
"Was?" Lily caught the pass tense of the word.  
  
"Yeah, he died a year ago." I said. yeah, died. And yet i was talking to him. Can people communicated with the dead? She made a mental note to ask someone.  
  
"I'm sorry." Lily and Alyssa said at the same time. I laughed.  
  
"DOnt be. I loved him, i still do, but he is in a better place now. Watching over me." I said closing the book and gently placing it back in my trunk.  
  
The next morning my dad obviously had recieved news of my detention. Because at Breakfast i recieved a Howler. I opened it, amused.  
  
"ASHLEIGH CORRINE ABIGAIL ELIZABETH COX! HOW DARE YOU! I THOUGHT I BROUGHT YOU UP BETTER THAN THAT. IF YOU PUT ONE MORE TOE OUT OF LINE I WILL SEND YOU TO 'NORELLI'S SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT FOR GIRLS! WITH NO HESITATION!"  
  
And then the Howler turned to dust. Eyes were staring at me from all over. I smiled. Play it cool, it was the only useful thing Alex had taught her. I smiled and laughed.  
  
"Norelli's school of Witchcraft for Girls?!?!?!" Sirius yelped. That part did not appeal to me. I did not want to go to another school. Not now.  
  
"Yeah, just another threat from my dear father, he's usually more cheery." I said. I caught Dumbledore's eye. He still had the same twinkle in his eyes. I smiled again. At least he wasnt mad.  
  
"Wow, maybe we should have does that. Or at least shared the blame with you." Alyssa whispered. I shook my head no.  
  
"No, keep your mouth shut. I'm fine, dont worry..." I turned around because someone interrupted me by taping my shoulder. It was Snape.  
  
"Can i talk to you?" He aske dme. I nodded and followed him out of the Great hall.  
  
"What's up?" I asked him. A few first years passed us. He looked uncomfortable.  
  
"Well, I wanted to say.... Thanks for not lettingme get blamed." Snape said.  
  
"Well you didnt do it, i wasnt going to let you take the blame... besides you helped me out and i was just returning the favor." I said. Little did either one of them know that this created a bond between both of them. A magical bond. 


	8. American Kiss

It was the day before the hogsmeade weekend. I was so excited. My dad told me all about Hogwarts and everything through the weekly letters we sent to each other. I needed to ask Dumbledore another question. I sent him an owl, to make an appointment. He called me out of my Transfiguration class. I walked past the gargoyle and up the spiral staircase. Dumbledore was sitting at his desk.  
  
"Good Afternoon." He said without looking up. I closed the door.  
  
"Good after noon." I said.  
  
"So, what did you need to talk to me about?" He asked me. I took a deep breath; it was all or none now.  
  
"Well, I was wondering, can people.... Wizards and Witches communicate with the dead?" I asked him. He raised his eyebrows and then thought about it.  
  
"Well, yes they can, but it's a rare gift. Not many people can do it, even if they tried and dedicated their lives to it." DUmbledore informed her.  
  
"How do you know whether you have that gift or not?" I asked.  
  
"Well, they just know if it occurs more than once than you know. Why?" He asked me. I looked down at my hands.  
  
"Well, I keep having these dreams with people who I know who are deceased. And it seems so real, like the conversations between those people and me. And it's insane. I don't know if I am imagining it or not." I said he watched me with intense eyes. It was like he was boring into my mind. Flashes of my dreams went flowing through my head like a T.V. show.  
  
"Maybe you have that gift." He said after a minute.  
  
"How do I know though? I mean, I just... I don't know. I'm very confused." I said.  
  
"You will know, when you need to know. And you believe you will know." DUmbledore said. I nodded and got up to leave. I wanted to take a nap.  
  
"Here. Why don't you read this? And when your done you can bring it back." He said. I nodded and took the book from his desk. It was title, Death and the Mysteries Of.  
  
I got to the dorm and laid the book on my trunk. I wanted to sleep. I drifted to sleep, hoping to contact Conner again.  
  
Ashleigh was sitting on a couch; Conner was sitting in a chair right in front of her. "Ashleigh! I have been waiting for you." He said his eyes were sparkling. She smiled. "Conner! I have to know, is this you? Is it really you? Or is my mind playing tricks on me?" I asked him. "It's me. You have the gift. Pretty soon I will be leaving though. I need you to know. I love you, I always will but you and me we weren't meant to be. Fate showed us that. It's hard for me to say this but you will move on and someone will be there for you when I cant. Ya know?" He said and asked. I did understand, but it didn't mean I liked it. "Conner, you can't leave me. We can survive like this." She said, she reached out to grab his hand she couldn't touch him. He shook his head sadly. "No Ash, we cant. He is the one, and you know who I am talking about." Conner said. Ashleigh looked down; she wasn't going to accept it. She loved Conner. "I love you. I couldn't do that to you." She said. He closed his eyes. "Ashleigh, I.... I understand, I can't be there for you... I WANT you to move on. Please baby, Please." He said. And then he started to drift away. Everything shifted. There was a flash of green light and Lily was dead on the floor. A baby was crying and the tall cold figure from her other dreams stood over the baby.  
  
I woke up breathing hard. I needed to see Lily, Just as I thought that, she walked in.  
  
"Ash! Hey, you missed an awesome lesson." Lily said. She put her book bag on her bed. Great! She was alive; it was just a dream, nothing more.  
  
"I bet." I said. We talked the rest of the time in the Common room before Supper. But I had to go to the library and get a book on the eclipse. They were studying that in Astronomy. And I needed to write an essay about it. It was half an hour until supper the library was packed. I just hope they still had the book.  
  
"Hey, do you need any help?" A sly voice that I recognized as Malfoy's said behind me. I turned and smiled.  
  
"No, but thanks." I said. He nodded and yet he didn't move. He kept staring at me. I was wearing a short skirt; they said we had to wear the uniform, a blue shirt and a plaid skirt. But they never said anything about adjusting it. I had to reach up to get a book, which would cause my skirt to follow.  
  
"Actually...." I said turning around to face Malfoy, but he wasn't there. I shrugged and reached up to get the book.  
  
"Hey." Snapes voice this time. I turned after pulling my skirt down a little.  
  
"Hi." I said in my usual cheery voice.  
  
"What book is that?" He asked me. I looked at it and then I showed him the cover. We made our way to Madam Pince.  
  
"Astronomy?" He asked I nodded. He seemed very nervous.  
  
"Ash!" I heard my name being shouted. Alyssa was at the door; she was receiving a piercing shh from Madam Pince. I said a quick good bye and ran to Alyssa.  
  
"What?" I asked. She shrugged.  
  
"I was just saving you from Snape." She said. I groaned.  
  
"What are you talking about?" I asked her. It was her turn to groan.  
  
"Ash, Sirius likes you and you obviously like Sirius, and yet you are willing to go out with trash like that? I mean come on, he is so into Dark arts." She said. I laughed.  
  
"I like him? You think I like Sirius?" I asked her. Her nod was very confident.  
  
"Oh, really? And yet somehow, I loathe him and his styles. He is an arrogant jerk!" I said everything I was saying was true.  
  
"You think that, but under all that he is very sensitive." She said.  
  
"Try not to Psycho analyze him, it will only create confusion." I told her as we entered the Great Hall.  
  
As the days went by, they also got colder. I was wearing more clothes under my robes. I tried my hardest to avoid the outside cold. But in some cases it was just inevitable. It was a week before Christmas break and my dreams were getting less and less frequent. I never talked to Conner again, in a dream anyway. I felt sort of saddened by this. The only other people who knew about Conner were Lily, Alyssa and Dumbledore. Every time was crying at night they knew why. They helped comfort me. We were in the common room watching Sirius kiss his newest victim. It was Courtney. She would end up alone in awhile and then she couldn't walk around the dorm boasting about her relationship. If you can call it that.  
  
"Ash!" Alyssa said I woke up out of my stupor.  
  
"Yeah? What's up?" I asked. I was working on my potions essay. Everything in life was going great.  
  
"I need some help. Can you read over this?" She asked me. I nodded and glanced back at Sirius. Lily came up and jumped over the back of the couch onto the seat next to me. She saw me glance.  
  
"Do you reckon its time for another prank?" Lily asked. I smiled. But I ended up shaking my head. My dad may be a forgetful alchemist but he would remember about the changing school thing.  
  
"We can take the blame this time." Alyssa said. I laughed. God, I wanted to so bad.  
  
"What do you guys have in mind? Do you really think we can top off the last one?" I asked them. I knew why Lily wanted revenge. James' had been dating some girl who he just used as a sex toy. Lily liked him a lot but would never admit it. But one night we were playing truth and dare. I had to admit that I liked Sirius and Lily liked James. Alyssa's crush was still undetermined, partly because she said she didn't like any of the immature guys here.  
  
"Well.. We can get peeves to help." Lily said. I shook my head.  
  
"Isn't it a wide known fact that Peeves would never help a student?" I asked them. They shrugged and then nodded.  
  
"We can turn them into girls." Alyssa squealed. I laughed. God, think of something better! Although I did like the though of Sirius in a skirt with long hair and boobs. I laughed again the mental image was hilarious.  
  
"And do you really think that will work?" I asked. The thought for a minute.  
  
"Ok, so its not going to work, but I am sure we can think of something." Alyssa said. I nodded. I'll think about it all right. I just can't get caught.  
  
"Are you guys going home for Christmas break?" I asked changing the subject. Lily nodded but Alyssa shook her head no.  
  
"Why not?" I asked her.  
  
"My mom said she's too busy to pick me up and when I said I would have a friend drop me off she said no, she doesn't want me to do that and it would be best if I stayed here. Probably having one of her boyfriends over. I hate I hate them all. I would live with my dad, but he's in Bulgaria and I would have to go to some school there. And I want to go to Hogwarts." Alyssa said. This was the first time I had heard about Alyssa family. She never talked about them.  
  
"I'm sorry." I said. I know corny.  
  
"Don't worry." Alyssa said in her usually cheery tone. Remus walked in and I waved. He smiled and waved back.  
  
"Do you have something for Remus?" Alyssa asked panicked. I laughed and shook my head no.  
  
"I just think he is cool, ya know, not like his friends at all." I said.  
  
"In other words, she has a crush on him." Lily said.  
  
"Have a crush on who?" Asked a voice from behind them, it was Jordan. He was the tallest and most athletic of all the people in Hogwarts. He also was born in America.  
  
"You." Both of them said. I laughed and shook my head.  
  
"I was telling them that I don't have a crush on Remus, he's just a cool guy." I said. He nodded. His eyes were green, bright green. They were gorgeous and they matched his brown hair.  
  
"Ahhhh, too bad it wasn't me, I wouldn't have minded." He said, obviously flirting.  
  
"Too bad huh?" I said flirting back I had my smile on. No one could resist the smile.  
  
"I was wondering if maybe we could go out sometime, the next Hogsmeade weekend is coming up in two days and maybe you wanted to go and hang out with me." He asked he seemed so shy it was cute. I smiled and nodded.  
  
"Sure, that would be great." I said his nervousness turned into happiness.  
  
"Great, I'll meet you at the gates on Saturday then?" He said. I nodded and he left. We all squealed when he walked out of the portrait hole.  
  
"What's happening?" Remus asked as he sat next to Alyssa, I could have sworn that I saw her turn red.  
  
"Ash just got asked out by Jordan." Lily said. He looked at me with his eyebrows raised as if to ask really? I nodded and smoothly and then laughed.  
  
"Awesome, so when's the wedding." He asked threw a pillow at him.  
  
"Who's getting married?" Sirius and James asked together.  
  
"Remus and Alyssa." I stated.  
  
"Remus! You dog! Is she pregnant?" Sirius asked. We all laughed and Alyssa threw a pillow straight at his head. This started the pillow fight that the Prefects had to stop. But Sirius accidentally hit one. They eventually settled down when Courtney came back into the common room. She gave me a bad look when she saw us all bunched together.  
  
"Here comes SB. Super Bitch." I said. Lily and Alyssa knew who I meant and giggled. The boys turned to see Courtney walking toward them. Sirius looked back at me and raised his eyebrows. Courtney grabbed his arm and looked around at everyone.  
  
"I still stand by to what I said." I said and then I got up ready to leave, Jordan came up behind me and put his hands in front of my eyes.  
  
"Hey." He said and I pulled away and turned to face him. I kissed him. When I was down everyone was staring at me. Jordan had a look of surprise on his face. I smiled and went up to my dorm. 


	9. Voldermort

The next day Sirius dumped Courtney, although this made me happy, I felt sorry for him. He seemed mad but I didn't care because he wasn't my responsibility.  
  
"Ashleigh, are you ok?" Jordan asked me. We were on our first date.  
  
"Yeah." I said staring at Sirius' new choice of meat. Not a very good choice either. She was too thin and she wore too much make-up that made her look like a porcelain doll. Jordan was trying to get my attention back on him. I couldn't help but stare at Sirius and his new doll. What did he think he was accomplishing?  
  
"Ash, maybe we should go to the Shrieking shack. I hear its haunted." Jordan said. I nodded and followed him. I really did like Jordan it was just that he was too bland. Boring. Non-eventful. We walked up to the shack and caught Malfoy and Narcissa making out. I laughed because I would have loved to see Sirius' face at the moment. His cousin and enemy making out. Malfoy heard us snicker and jumped up.  
  
"Awww, Malfoy. we have a jolly good show." I said making fun of him. He glared at me. Narcissa ran down the sloping hill. Malfoy pulled out his wand and aimed it at me but Jordan was too quick for him and gave him elephant ears. Malfoy ran down the hill also.  
  
"You didn't have to do that, but thanks. I appreciate it." I said and we kissed. It was a good kiss but it made me think of Conner so I stopped. I was still loyal to Conner. Not good for my love life.  
  
"I'd do it for you anytime." He said and we walked back to the three Broomsticks.  
  
"Yo! Ash! Jordan! Over here!" They heard as they walked in. Sirius was calling them. Lily, Alyssa, Remus, and Sirius were sitting at a table. Sirius had his new doll with him and Lily had Michael Bornon with her. Remus and Alyssa were sitting close enough that their elbows were touching once we reached the table.  
  
"Hey guys." I said. Jordan sat me on his lap and I couldn't help but smile. Maybe I should move on. All of us talked about everything before it was time to head back to the castle. I sat with Jordan in the corner of the common room I had to tell him.  
  
"Jordan, I can't be with you. I have an Ex that I am still crazy about and it wouldn't be fair to you." I said. He looked at me and nodded. Hoped he would be o.  
  
"Ok." He said. WAIT! Ok?!? Just like that? Fine! See if I care! I yelled at him in my mind. We got up and went our separate ways. Ok. whom is he trying to fool? He's not ok. He's heart broken, I can tell. His laughter is trying to hide the pain. I told myself.  
  
"So what happened?" Alyssa asked me as I joined them near the fire. The marauders were close by.  
  
"I told him I couldn't be with him." I told them. I could tell that this sparked their attention.  
  
"Are you serious! Why not?!?! He is too hott." Alyssa said. I smiled. So naïve. No its because I am an idiot and I am in love with someone who is dead. Never to come back. And I am in love with him. But I couldn't tell them that.  
  
"It just wasn't gonna work. My heart wasn't in it. And I learned long ago to never have a relationship without your heart." I said remembering Alex. Ew. Alex. I hated him with a passion.  
  
"Whatever." Alyssa said and we went to bed.  
  
I woke up late one day because of a nice dream I had. It involved me with a husband and a kid and we were happy. And then he was sent to jail and my baby never got to know him. It was quite sad but that fact that I saw it was cool. She was gorgeous. She had silky blond hair and bright blue eyes that looked so familiar.  
  
"Ash, come on, we have to get down to the great hall for breakfast." Lily said kicking me off my bed. Oh Gee thanks Lills. I thought as I got up off the floor. I put on some jeans and a t-shirt. I didn't even put on make-up. It didn't matter, cause I didn't fancy anyone right now. We went down to the Great Hall. Mmmm, I smelled bacon in the air. I loved bacon especially when it was crispy.  
  
"So what's new? Any dreams lately?" Alyssa asked me as I sat down. I shoveled some bacon onto my plate. I shook my head no as the owls swooped in and delivered the mail. I got three letters. One from my dad, one from Izzy (we had a consistent correspondence going on now) and one for someone I didn't know. I opened the mysterious one first. Inside the envelope were rose petals in it and a letter. I took out the letter that smelt so good and read it.  
  
'Roses are red Violets are blue A new Hogsmeade weekend is coming And I would like to see you.  
  
Meet me at the Hogs Head around noon, no joke. I hope you show. I'll be the one with the red rose.  
  
Love, Your secret admirer'  
  
I read it correctly, it said the Hogs Head at noon. Next Saturday. Wow, a secret Admirer. And I didn't notice the writing either. I looked around. Whoever sent it was not looking at me, or wasn't there. I shoved the letter in my jeans pocket and continued to eat. For the next 6 days I was looking for people who could possibly be my secret admirer but were to shy to say it to my face. I found quite a few people who would fit that profile but when I questioned some of them casually they were going with someone else to Hogsmeade.  
  
"Hey." Sirius said coming from behind me. I was in the library studying. I got a B on one of my essays and the professor said if I rewrote it than he would give me a better grade if it was better but if it was worse he would give me a worse grade. I was determined to get an A on I it this time.  
  
"Hey." I said not really giving my attention to him. But he was still distracting me by sitting there. I had to admit, he was sexy, very sexy. Irresistibly sexy.  
  
"What are doing?" he asked me. I showed him my old essay.  
  
"Redoing this essay for a better grade." I said.  
  
"Always obsessed with grades." He said chuckling to himself.  
  
"Why aren't you with one of your whores?" I asked him. He looked hurt and I immediately felt bad.  
  
"Because I don't have a whore right now. I'm single." He said recovering from the dis.  
  
"Really? The infamous Sirius single, hard to believe." I said. He smiled.  
  
"Well believe it babe cause its true." He said. I nodded and continued to write. He left me alone. Tomorrow I would meet my secret admirer.  
  
At noon I arrived at the Hog's Head. I was so nervous, I wore my orange jeans with my white top. I looked good. My make-up added the extra necessity to the outfit. I wore very light eyeliner with mascara and light peach and earthy tone eye shadow. I looked around the Hog's Head and realized that it was deserted. No one was in there, not even a bartender. Oh great I was going to be stood up. I knew this was a bad idea. A man appeared from behind the counter, he stared at me expectedly.  
  
"Can I get a butter beer?" I asked him. He reached down behind the counter and handed me the drink. It was so dark in this place it scared me. It was cold, dark and unwelcoming. Unlike the Three Broomsticks. The door opened and a crack of light appeared in there from outside. It was a beautiful day outside, very beautiful. Sirius walked in. Sirius?!?!? Why would he be here? He was holding a red rose, a rose. Oh my god, he was my secret admirer. Sirius was my secret admirer.  
  
"Hello, my lady." He said extending his hand to grab mine. He held it gently and kissed the top of my hand. He handed me the rose. I was flabbergasted. I was amazed. He was my secret admirer.  
  
"You're my secret admirer?" I asked him after I got my voice back. He nodded and looked down. I could have sworn I saw him blush.  
  
"Oh." I said. And I looked down, I know I was blushing. The door opened again and a long line of men walked in. We were in the corner hidden by a Christmas tree, a very sad excuse for a Christmas tree.  
  
"My Death Eaters! Come! Gather 'round." A high pitch cold voice said. I could have sworn that I knew that voice from somewhere. Something inside me told me to duck and hide. I pulled Sirius under the table with me.  
  
"What are you doing?" he whispered I put my hand over his mouth. We watched as about 25 people in masks stood around one person.  
  
"I have brought you all here because our latest hide out has been discovered. By those bloody good doers. Dumbledore, Longbottom, Madeye, and Cox. And the rest of their crew. But I have some valuable information. Cox and Dumbledore seem to have a weak spot. You remember Abigail Hewitt? Well he married Cox and they had a daughter. And she seems to be more powerful than her mother and father put together. We need her. On our side. She goes to Hogwarts, which means she is well protected during the school year. But this Christmas break she wont be there and we can kill her father. That will make her an orphan and we will take her in. What we need our spies to do is figure out where she will be and we will hit then. Maybe even take that alchemists latest study. Rumor is he is developing a weapon to use against me." The man with the high-pitched voice said. I was dumbfounded, they were talking about me. I wasn't powerful I was weak. I knew I was weak. These people didn't know what they were talking about. I looked over at Sirius and his eyes were wide.  
  
"But Voldermort, my lord. If she is Dumbledore's niece do you think he will not protect her outside of school? If she is as powerful as you say she is then she will be well protected. And obviously used against us. Dumbledore is not an idiot." A man who was nearby us. He sounded scared and nervous but he knew he had a point. The man called Voldermort flicked his wand and muttered something. There was a flash of green light, the same light I saw in all those dreams, and he was on the floor. His mask had come off and he had a look of terror on his face. He wasn't breathing. He was dead. I decided it was time for us to leave. I motioned to the door for Sirius to see. I accidentally hit a chair and it fell over. We both sat there unable to move, wide eyed. All the masked heads turned toward us in a creepy way. We ran. Both of us just bolted out from under the table. A flash of light went past my ear and hit Sirius, it was a stunning spell. I turned around and muttered a spell to put a protective barrier around us as I tried to wake Sirius up. Voldermort came toward us. I was panicking.  
  
"Ah, Miss Cox, so nice of you to join us so soon." He said and he raised his wand and my barrier disappeared. Sirius was up and awake by then. I grabbed his arm and we ran and ran and ran. We ran till we were at Professor Dumbledore's office. We ran until our lungs were about to burst. We choked out the password and ran up the spiral staircase.  
  
"Professor Dumbledore!" I choked out, I was so out of breath that my throat was scratchy and my lungs ached. There were 5 people standing around his desk. I recognized one as my dad. All their heads turned toward us.  
  
"What is it Miss Cox?" He asked me. I didn't know if I should say it in front of everyone. But I didn't have to.  
  
"Professor Dumbledore, A man by the name of Voldermort, we saw him." Sirius said, he was so out of breath it made my breathing look smooth.  
  
"Excuse me?" A man who was somewhat chubby asked us.  
  
"He said he wanted to kill my dad and he knew my mom. Who is he?" I asked and I looked to my dad for an answer. He looked down at his hands and didn't answer my inquiring look.  
  
"Ashleigh, calm down. Where did you see him and tell me everything he said." Dumbledore said. I told him about everything and explained it to him. And about our encounter. He sent us to our common room and went to round up the rest of students in Hogsmeade. 


	10. The Truth

"Dad, I want to know everything." I said the second we got in the car when he picked me up from the train station. It was Christmas Break, we on our way home to get ready to go to America. He promised me that I could hang out with Izzy again.  
  
"About what?" He asked me. Obviously he was avoiding the subject of Lord Voldermort.  
  
"About Lord Voldermort." I stated.  
  
"What about him?" He asked me intend on keeping his eyes on the road. I was going to get my license in America with Izzy this weekend. I had been looking forward to it for years now. So every aspect of driving made me think of that.  
  
"I want to know how he knows mom, and why he wants to kill you and why does he think I am very powerful? I am not and I want to know dad. I have a right." I said. I was 16 I definitely had a right.  
  
"Ok fine, you are right, you do have a right to know. You are old enough and mature enough to know this now." He said. I nodded for him to continue.  
  
"About 3 years ago a dark lord was coming into power. He was one of the most prominent and powerful wizards around. He only had one problem, he hated muggle borns and muggles. He hated them with a passion. He wanted to get rid of them. So he took on followers in the next 2 years. He took them on and called them Death Eaters." He said, there was a pause. I remembered Voldermort calling the people Death Eaters.  
  
"2 years ago he was starting to kill muggles and muggle borns. He even killed blood traitors. I was a blood traitor, your mother was a muggle born. He had it in for us. He wanted to kill us, so we moved back to America. You remember that summer that we stayed here, you threw the biggest fit ever. And your mom had to stay, she needed to stay to help Dumbledore against Voldermort, I told her to be careful and if she ever needed help while you were in school I would be there. That summer she died. You remember, He tortured her and then killed her." He said we pulled onto our street. He had tears running down his cheeks. No matter how much I wanted to stop him and just give him one big hug, I needed to know.  
  
"He wants to kill me to get to you. He wants to use my alchemist research. I am developing a weapon for good to use against the evil. We can use it against him, we can defeat him. But I need to do more research about it and everything. And to answer you last question. You are more powerful than he says. You have some special power within you that no one can explain. Dumbledore told me about your dreams. Ashleigh, you can see the future and communicate with the dead. You have been able to do it since you were a baby. As a toddler you warned us that something was going to happen before it happened. Ash, trust your instinct on everything. Ash, I think that you are even more powerful than that. When you were a kid you could freeze things. Not as in cold but as in time. In the air. You dropped your bottle one day and then you froze it in the air. Ashleigh, you are powerful. If only you can find that power within you once again. It disappeared when you were 5, I don't know what happened but for the longest time nothing came. We thought it was just a phrase but now I see it coming out once again." He said, his voice was filled with such passion as if he was speaking about one of his projects or experiments. We got out of the car, I was letting this all sink in. Wow, I was powerful, or so I think. Maybe he is just telling me that. But why would my dad tell me that? I was so confused. All my life I knew I could trust my dad, why wasn't I trusting him now?  
  
"Lets get to the States. Izzy made a fire in our fireplace so we will see her there. Her mom gave her permission to spend Christmas with us." He said. I nodded. We flooed all the way to our old house. I stepped out of the fire, the house looked clean and warm. I heard rustling in the kitchen. My dad stepped out from behind me. He was carrying our bags. Izzy came running out from the door that separated our living room from our kitchen.  
  
"Izzy!" I yelled excitedly, we hugged and gave each other a kiss. We were soul sisters.  
  
"God, Ash! Look at you! You look wonderful, very sexy outfit. Don't tell me that you are a slut at your new school?" She asked me. I laughed. My dad came and put his hand on my shoulder. He gave Izzy a hug and kiss on the forehead. He treated her as one of his own.  
  
"She better not be. Nice to see you again Izzy." He said pulling back from the kiss on her forehead. I felt at home once again.  
  
"What's that smell?" I asked. I didn't need to ask, it was my favorite childhood dish. Izzy and I learned how to make it at a young age. We both used to have to cook for ourselves, with parents who were always busy we learned fairly fast with Conner of course.  
  
"You should know. Sloppy Joes. Its your welcome home feast." She said smiling proudly.  
  
"Then lets feast!" I said. We walked through the door that led to the kitchen. The aroma was strong. It was mouth watering. We sat down and ate. For desert she made chocolate cake with white chocolate frosting. We learned to make that together from Conner's mom. Mrs. Paine was an awesome cook. She taught us most of the recipes we use.  
  
"So, how is your new school. We rarely talk about it in our letters." Izzy said as we dug into our desert. My dad left the room to go visit Izzy's parents. Both of them were alchemists and they loved talking.  
  
"Well, there is this irresistibly sexy guy there. His name is Sirius. And he has cute friends but nothing compared to him. And I made 2 friends, well a lot of friends. But 2 good ones. I still miss you though." I said. I know I sounded very disrespectful to Conner's memory when I talked about Sirius but I couldn't help it. Conner said to move on. And this time I knew it was him talking and not my subconscious.  
  
"How sexy is sexy?" Izzy asked me. I laughed, she was much more into guys this year, and it only took her 16 years.  
  
"I'm talking, bad to the bone, James Dean sexy." I said. We both loved James Dean, he was so sexy.  
  
"Really? I think I should meet this guy. So are you guys an item?" She asked. I shook my head no.  
  
"Nah, his ignorance and arrogant ways take most of the sexiness away. I mean he's really sexy until he talks." I said. She laughed hard that time and apiece of her cake flew out of her mouth and landed on the table, which caused both of us to laugh even harder. That night we talked about everything, including the fact that my dad's summer cabin on the beach was vacant.  
  
"Hey! Why don't you come back in the summer with your friends from school and I can meet them and they can see Cali. It's perfect. You have a summer cabin and they can come on my dad's frequent flyer miles or by Floo powder. And we can spend a week or so in the cabin. With or without parent supervison." She said. I thought about it and loved the idea. I could ask my dad. The rest of the time while we were there I passed my drivers test and I got my license. It was easy, so easy that I passed it with flying colors. My dad bought me a car to drive when I came to Cali, but in the mean time Izzy would be borrowing it. I would use it when and if my dad let me bring my friends back here for Summer.  
  
"Dad, can me and some friends from Hogwarts come out here to the cabin and spend a week or so there, just hang out and show em part of California?" I asked when we were on our way back to London. I had to go back to school the next day.  
  
"I don't know Ash." He said.  
  
"Please. Izzy can meet them and vice versa. Please dad. You can trust us." I said. Actually I was begging.  
  
"I trust you, I just don't know." He said. I gave I pouting puppy dog face.  
  
"Ok, you can. But under MY rules." He said. I nodded eagerly. I couldn't wait to tell them at school.  
  
The next day when I got into the common room, I was excited. So excited that I couldn't contain it. I was waiting for the guys to come back from unpacking. I needed to tell everyone as a group. They were all my friends, besides I promised I would try to bring Mr. Sexy. They finally made it down and I was about to jump all over the place.  
  
"I can tell you had a nice Christmas." Remus commented. I nodded eagerly. I had told Lily about my drivers test. She thought that this meeting was about it.  
  
"Yeah! Oh my god! I have a great surprise for all of you!" I said they looked at me expectedly as if for me to go on.  
  
"Well?" James asked impatiently.  
  
"Well, guess." I said. They all exchanged looks.  
  
"Ok. umm, did you get married?" Alyssa asked. I gave her a 'yeah right' look.  
  
"Did you get your belly button pierced?" Sirius asked pulling up my shirt. I pulled it back down.  
  
"No." I said.  
  
"I don't know. Tell us!" lily whined.  
  
"I have arranged for each one of you to come with me this summer to California. We can spend a week or so on the beach with the sand, surf and sun." I said jumping up and down. They were staring at me like I was insane.  
  
"Ok, each one of you guys can come to California to see what's there." I said. They looked at me.  
  
"Are you serious?" Sirius asked. I laughed.  
  
"No, you are." I said. They laughed.  
  
"Wait, the states?" James asked. I nodded. They all got smiles on their faces and we celebrated together. 


	11. Almost

A few months later we were studying for our O.W.L.s. It was coming up upon us very fast. I was sitting in a chair with books spread all around me and my feet up against my chest. I had a bag of pretzels next to me. Everyone was down at the feast except Alyssa, Lily and I. We were too busy studying and eating pretzels. Our first O.W.L was in one week and we were behind in studying. Sirius, James and Remus walked in. Peter was still at the great hall.  
  
"Hey girls." Remus said sitting next to me. I smiled.  
  
"Hey." I said, I turned back to my book.  
  
"Mmmm, food." Sirius said grabbing a handful of pretzels.  
  
"God Sirius, you just ate." James said shaking his head. He was eyeing Lily, he had a huge crush on her but she wouldn't tell him that she liked him. She refused to.  
  
"What? I'm still hungry." He said. I laughed and got back to my reading. I was so engrossed in my reading that I didn't notice Lily and Alyssa were gone and in bed. So was everyone else. I looked outside and saw two figures escape into the thick forbidden forest. Curiosity got the better of me and I followed them. I was on the edge of the Forbidden Forest when I spotted them again. It was Snape and Malfoy.  
  
"Hello." Malfoy's slick voice came from behind a tree. I turned around and saw him standing in front of me. I immediately got scared. His face was halfway hidden by all the shadows. Malfoy came closer to me and I stepped back. This continued until I was up against a tree. Malfoy pressed his body against mine and I tried to squirm my way out. Malfoy was surprisingly strong.  
  
"What are you doing.. .get off of me!" I said. He put his hand over my mouth and ran his hand up my side. His hand went under my shirt and touched my skin. I was revolted. This was wrong and disgusting. I struggled against his strong hold. Snape appeared. I could see his eyes. So I gave him a pleading look. Malfoy was still running his hands up and down my sides.  
  
"Lucius, lets go." Snape said trying to get him away.  
  
"In a minute. Go and do look out. Make sure no one is coming." He said.  
  
"But why? What are you." Snape asked.  
  
"Just go!" Malfoy said. Snape walked away glancing back at me. I was scared. He wasn't going to help me. I needed help. Someone help me. Sirius!  
  
"You are one blossoming beauty." He whispered in my ear. A disgusting shiver went up my spine. His hand traveled down to my waist and he played with my waistline. He put a few of his fingers between the hip huggers and my skin. I could move my left leg because he put less pressure on my left side. I pulled it up and kneed him hard in his sensitive spot. He groaned and fell to the ground. I pulled out my wand just as Professor McGonagall came carrying Snape by the arm. She saw me point my wand at him.  
  
"Miss Cox! Put that down right now!" She said in her stern voice. I was too traumatized to hear it clearly. Her voice seemed distant, very distant. I was breathing hard and I had tears streaming down my face. I was almost raped! By scum! I took a deep breath and wiped away my tears. Professor McGonagall came toward me. I put my hands up and she froze in mid air. She froze. How was it possible? Her dad's words echoed through her head.  
  
'When you were a kid you could freeze things. Not as in cold but as in time. In the air. You dropped your bottle one day and then you froze it in the air. Ashleigh, you are powerful. If only you can find that power within you once again. It disappeared when you were 5, I don't know what happened but for the longest time nothing came. We thought it was just a phrase but now I see it coming out once again.'  
  
She put her hands down and Professor McGonagall unfroze. I had a look of terror on my face and I just started to cry, it was the only thing I could think of. Months of pent up tears started to flow. Things that bothered me but I didn't cry because I thought it was weak, just flooded out of me. She directed us to Professor Dumbledore's office. By this time I had a potion to keep me out of hysterics. All three of us sat there silently. Professor Dumbledore was wearing a wool nightgown and a wool nightcap. He looked quite silly fro being one of the most powerful wizards alive.  
  
"May I ask why you guys were out this late?" He asked in his calm tone. How could he be so calm. Here I was recovering from crying my hardest and he is sitting there so calm. Did he ever show emotion?  
  
"We have no excuse sir. It was a dare, a stupid childish game." Snape said. He was trying to worm out of this.  
  
"What would cause you, such an intelligent student, to play such a childish game?" Dumbledore asked him. I didn't want to listen. I curled up in my chair, I felt violated, more so than ever.  
  
"Spur of the moment, you know how peer pressure is. It just affected us, but never again." Snape said. God, I hated him so much at that moment. Dumbledore turned to me.  
  
"And you?" He asked me.  
  
"I saw them down there and wondered what they were up to. Curiosity got the better of me and I decided to see for myself what was going on. I'm sorry." I said the potion was wearing off.  
  
"May I ask what is wrong?" He asked me. I looked at him tears in my eyes again. I looked over at Malfoy and stopped myself from saying something. I couldn't, it was too embarrassing. I was supposed to be this big almighty powerful young witch and here I was crying because I allowed myself to get violated. It was all my fault.  
  
"Nothing sure." I said and I put my head on my pulled up knees. He looked at me for a moment before continuing.  
  
"Very well then. A nights' detention. If you love the forest so much then you can help Hagrid in it tomorrow night and Ashleigh you can polish the silverware." He said. I silently thanked him for not making me do a detention with them. We got up and left.  
  
A few days went by and I wasn't myself. I knew this by my behavior. I was more withdrawn. I felt like I was 12 again, before Conner helped me out of my shell. Lily, Alyssa and the boys noticed my odd behavior. Instead of studying late at night I went to bed earlier. They heard about what happened, or the version everyone else knew except Snape, Malfoy and me. I couldn't tell them, it was my fault. I was so ashamed of myself. I told Izzy, she was the only one who knew too. But she couldn't keep her mouth shut. She owled Lily and Sirius and told them. They cornered me in the common room one day and confronted me about it. All I could do was cry as I ran to my dorm and froze whoever came to talk to me.  
  
I had to pick a career that I wanted advice on. I wanted to be an Auror. They had a cool job, picking and punishing the wizard scum of this world. I desperately wanted to be that.  
  
"Well, Miss Cox, an Auror needs to have top grades and I can see you are fine in that. You also need to pass all your O.W.L.s with O or more." Professor McGonagall said. I nodded and vowed to pass all of them. I needed and wanted to. 


	12. Passion

Sirius, Remus and James started to follow me when I was outside the common room. At first it was discreet but I started to realize it. One day after supper I left to Great Hall early. It was Sirius' turn to follow me; he put his food down and followed me. I figured they were trying to protect me everywhere I went. I made a quick turn into the girls' bathroom. I heard Sirius accidentally run into the door.  
  
"Oaf!" He said. I swung the door open and he was holding his nose.  
  
"What are you doing?" I asked him.  
  
"Nothing, I must have gotten confused." He looked around wildly.  
  
"This aint the boys' loo!" He exclaimed turning to leave quickly.  
  
"No duh!" I exclaimed grabbing his shoulders and swinging him back to stand in front of me. His eyes sparkled in the moonlight that came from the window. I swallowed hard we were awfully close. Everything in my body screamed 'kiss him!' I wanted to so bad, just to touch those nice soft plump lips would be heaven. I blinked. He was staring at my eyes. Carefully and cautiously he slid his hands onto my waist. And I looked up at him again this was it. I was going to kiss him. I put my arms around his neck. He was so tall, a foot taller than me. He steadily and slowly bent down. Our lips touched, his soft warm lips touched mine and I felt like I was floating. He slipped his tongue into my mouth I gladly welcomed it. We kissed for what felt like eternity but it was only a few seconds. That kiss was something I longed for, something I needed. We pulled back. The kiss was like a spark of life and it lit a flame. A flame that would last forever.  
  
"Ash?" He asked breaking the everlasting silence.  
  
"Yes?" I asked I was amazed and flabbergasted.  
  
"That was cool, and shocking." He said in a voice that was very hesitant. Maybe he didn't like me maybe he didn't want me. I was just another one of his whores. His kiss and dis whores. Oh God why me?  
  
"Yeah." I said and we walked to the common room in silence. I met up with Lily and Alyssa in the dorm. Dishing out all the details and asking them why.  
  
"Ash, you like him. face it, you can't deny love." Alyssa said.  
  
"It's not love, I can tell you that." I said.  
  
"I think it is. You look at him like he is a God when you think no one is watching. And you defend him sometimes. You love him, you just don't know it." Alyssa said.  
  
"Whatever Lis." I said noticing Lily was very quiet.  
  
"You don't like Sirius. do you?" I asked Lily; maybe I crossed a line that I didn't know existed.  
  
"No way!" She said. I nodded. Maybe I didn't.  
  
"We know she likes James.." Alyssa was going to continue but Courtney and Jezebel walked in. What if they heard! I am pretty sure Sirius wanted it to be a secret. Jezebel had a content smile on her face. A very content smile.  
  
Over the couple few weeks I would watch Sirius avoid me at all costs. We could never be seen alone. He was always surrounded, whether it was girls or friends. They were both tormenting Snape even more. O.W.L.s were tomorrow. We just completed our last O.W.L. It was Defense Against the Dark Arts written test. We were relaxing by the lake when we heard a bunch of laughing. Lily went over to investigate.  
  
"Potter! Put him down now! What did he ever do to you!"? Lily yelled at James. She hadn't called him Potter since the beginning of the school year. Alyssa and I ran over there to catch the end of it all. Lily stalked off toward the castle. We followed her.  
  
"God! Why I liked James Potter is such a mystery!" She said when we entered our dorm room.  
  
"Calm Down." I said but she didn't listen.  
  
At the last feast we were all excited. Gryffindor won the Quidditch cup and house cup! All six of us were still going to California in July, which in itself was great. As we were eating I kept noticing people were staring at Lily and me. I nudged her and she looked at me and then around. She noticed it too. We shrugged it off and went back to eating.  
  
We were ready to leave, we would meet again in July and we were all excited. We were sitting in our own compartment when a girl name Heather, one of Sirius' on again off again ex's, came into our compartment.  
  
"Is it true that you and the marauders are going to California together?" She asked me. I nodded. She was one of Sirius' on again off again ex's and I hated her.  
  
"Really, so it is true." She muttered walking away. Lily and I exchanged confused looks. Things spread like wild fire around school when it involved the Marauders.  
  
"Hey guys, what are you telling people?" Sirius asked us as Him; James and Remus sat down in front of us.  
  
"Nothing why?" I asked.  
  
"Cause people are talking, about you and me and James and Lily. As in bad things." Sirius said. I looked at him weirdly. The train stopped.  
  
"What do you mean bad things?" Lily asked.  
  
"Like me and Ash are sleeping together and the same with you and James." Sirius said.  
  
"What!" I exclaimed.  
  
"Yeah, someone spreaded it and now it all over school." Sirius said. God, I couldn't believe this. 


	13. Plane ride

The beginning of summer was awesome; I slept in late and stayed up late. I loved it. But Sirius, James, Remus, Lily and Alyssa were supposed to arrive any minute. We were taking a plane because my dad forgot some floo powder and I really wanted them to experience it. It's a fun feeling. Ok, so I was kind of hoping that Sirius wouldn't be so tough and it would be a funny sight. The doorbell rang and I answered it. Lily and Alyssa were standing there, both of them wearing very revealing clothes. I laughed. Lily was wearing a white tank top that made her eyes and hair stand out even more. With short denim shorts. Alyssa wore a spaghetti strap shirt with short shorts.  
  
"What? Not beach material?" Alyssa asked with her brow furrowed.  
  
"No, its beach alright, I just haven't seen you guys outside uniform and its just a little weird." I said. They nodded and smiled while stepping through the threshold.  
  
"The guys aren't here yet?" They asked. I shook my head no.  
  
"Probably got lost." I said.  
  
"Or doing their make up. You know them." Alyssa said. We laughed at the thought of it. Then the image of Sirius as a girl popped into my head. The doorbell rang again. Oh! They were here.  
  
"Hello Girls!" Sirius called out when I opened the door. James eyes landed on Lily immediately. His eyes got bigger and bigger as his eyes traveled from her sandaled feet to her very revealing cleavage.  
  
"Take a picture it lasts longer." Lily said when she noticed his eyes. He immediately looked away. Remus was staring at Alyssa. Alyssa used to have mousy brown hair, now her hair was a silky brilliant light brown that brought out her deep blue eyes. Sirius was looking at both of them. I wasn't wearing anything unusual. Just a light orange top and shorts. I loved my shorts because they had a zipper on the side of them, and the zipper went up to the belt to reveal my leg. I found them in Izzy's old pile of clothes. And I used them ever since.  
  
"Are you guys ready to go?" I asked. They nodded. I grabbed my bags and called for my dad.  
  
"Dad, this is Lily Evans, Alyssa Andretta, James Potter, Sirius Black and Remus Lupin." I said pointing to each one as I said their name.  
  
"Ah, James Potter. I know that name. yes of course, I had the pleasure of meeting your parents, very nice couple they are." He said grabbing his car keys. He was driving us to the airport.  
  
"Yeah, they are great." James said smiling. My dad smiled back and then looked at me expectedly.  
  
"Well, do you have you stuff packed? Lotion, nessecities? Keys? You cant get into the cabin or storage without keys. Do you have the money and the tickets? Train and airplane? Clothes? Suntna lotion? I do not want you coming home with a bad sun burn like last summer. Do you have the directions and your license? Passports? Everythign ready?" He asked me. I nodded to each one. He grabbed one of my bags.  
  
"Very well, lets go." He said. We followed him to the car.  
  
The airport was packed, although what airport wouldn't be? We were waiting in line to get checked when Sirius asked how an airplane worked.  
  
"Well, you go up in the air and you fly. It will take us 10 hours to get to LAX." I said. He nodded he looked very pale. I knew that I should have gotten a pleasure from it but it was fun. The seating on the plane was three to a row. I sat in between Remus and Sirius. 5 rows ahead of us Lily sat in the middle of James and Alyssa. Sirius wanted the isle seat because he was scared but wouldn't admit it. Remus wanted the window seat because he wanted the view. James and Alyssa were in the same predicament. James was sick and Alyssa was too excited to sit on the isle seat.  
  
Izzy was supposed to pick us up from LAX. With my new Expedition. I was excited to be driving. We had an hour before we landed. Remus was watching the view intently. I just woke up from a nap. Sirius was still sleeping.  
  
"Hey sleepy head." He said. I smiled at him. I took out my CD player and started to listen to my Less Than Jake cd. My favorite song was 'the science of selling yourself short'.  
  
"What are you listening to?" Remus asked me. I took one of the earphones out of my ear and put it in his. He started to move his head to the music. He liked it. We laughed along to the lyrics and had fun. Before we knew it we were landing.  
  
Baggage claim was a nightmare. We didn't find Lily's bag and for an hour we searched. We finally found it on another flights claim. Which delayed the time in looking for Izzy. Luckily I told her to meet us about an hour late. We were now looking for Izzy.  
  
"Ash!" I heard my name being shouted. I recognized the voice.  
  
"Izzy!" I shouted back. We ran toward each other and hugged. 


	14. Storage

"Izzy I would like you to meet my friends. Lily, Alyssa, James, Remus and Sirius." I said I winked at her when I said Sirius' name.  
  
"Ohhhhh, hi guys! I have heard so much about you." She said. She hugged each one.  
  
"This one has got a cute butt." She said when she hugged Sirius. She also grabbed his butt, which made him jump a little, but he smiled nonetheless.  
  
"Well, you should see it when it's in a thong." I said. Alyssa and Lily giggled. Sirius and James turned crimson while Remus laughed. James slugged Remus on the shoulder.  
  
"Hmmm, wouldn't mind it, but you know I have my own man to look at. By the way, Corey will be coming with us. With me. He and I have to work for 4 of the days which means we can only go for 4 days." Izzy said. The smile on Sirius' face faltered a bit but he soon brought it back.  
  
"No problem babe. Just as long as you come ya know." I said and we went to her car. It was an old explorer. I wanted her to bring my Expedition but she loves her green explorer.  
  
We arrived at my house it was midnight.  
  
"Ok gang, ummm, I am going to wake you up at 5 in the morning tomorrow. We have to go to storage to get some stuff and then take the 4 hour drive to the beach." I said. Some nodded and some protested but in the end everyone went to bed and tried to get as much sleep as possible. Izzy had to go home.  
  
At 5 my alarm went off. Lily and Alyssa threw a few pillows at it. I slinked out of the small cot that was uncomfortable. We needed to get ready to go to storage. I turned on the bedroom light. Alyssa hid under the covers while Lily opened her eyes and squinted.  
  
"Good morning, we have 2 showers. Hurry up and get ready. Make sure you have everything together." I said I took the closest shower. It was nice and warm on such a cold morning. I got out of the shower in time to let Alyssa go to the bathroom. She got in and got ready. I put on my shorts, the ones with the zipper, and a white spaghetti strap shirt. They shirt revealed much of my breasts but I was trying to get Sirius, so it was ok.  
  
"Come on guys! Wake up!" I said pulling them out of bed. James and Remus got up and went to take a shower. Sirius was still in his bed. I risked everything by getting on the bed and getting real close to his ear.  
  
"God Baby, that was so good last night, who knew you were so talented." I whispered into his ear. Then I bit on his ear lobe very gently. He stirred and put his arms around my waist.  
  
"Everyone knows I'm good." He said in a sober, not tired voice. He tricked me. He laughed and started to tickle me. I jumped off the bed and ran. I hated being tickled. I hated it. He chased after me. I glanced at his boxers, they had purple cows on them.  
  
"Nice cows." I said and he grabbed my hands and tried to tickle me. I got out of the hold and put my hands in the air.  
  
"Truce!" I said He eyed me suspiciously and then nodded and went back to his room. I thought that was fun. I really Sirius, but I couldn't tell him. He was a player, not a lover.  
  
At storage we stood outside my storage space. B16. There wasn't much light because it was 6:30 in the morning and the sun wasn't completely up yet. The lights in the hall were very dim. I bent down to unlock the little lock at the bottom. And then I lifted the door. Dust came out along with a few spiders crawling all over the place. Lily and Alyssa jumped and Alyssa squealed. The boys and I laughed. Inside things were jameed up against each other and it was going to be a pain to get thing out.  
  
"God! What a mess!" Lily exclaimed.  
  
"Looks like my room." Sirius joked. We rolled our eyes while laughing.  
  
"Ok boys! Dig in! Get to work." Alyssa commanded them. They looked at her like she was nuts.  
  
"Please." All of us girls said with puppy dog eyes. They sighed and started to pull things out. All three of them somehow got inside behind a bunch of things. We couldn't see them anymore. A hubcap from my mom's old Toyota came rolling out.  
  
"What are you guys doing in there?" I asked. James popped his head up from the clutter.  
  
"Working, what else?" He said.  
  
"Hey, what are we looking for by the way?" Remus asked. I was about to answer but Sirius beat me to it.  
  
"Big round things." Sirius said holding up a fish on a plaque. We were rolling, it was so funny. Big round things. Way to go Sirius.  
  
"Round things?" James asked holding up a frying pan.  
  
"He said BIG round things." Remus said rolling his eyes.  
  
"No! Big round cushy things!" Sirius said.  
  
"You didn't mention cushy before." James and Remus said in unison. Lily fell to the floor she was laughing so hard. Alyssa was holding onto the wall and I was doubled over.  
  
"What are you guys laughing at?" Sirius asked, he sounded very serious. Which made us all laugh harder. They finally got all the sleeping bags and blankets and pillows out. They also got the beach stuff and other things you need at the cabin. It was time fore us to load up and head out. We loaded the car. (jam packed) and headed toward the Pacific Coast Highway. 


	15. Arriving at Destination

The pacific Coast Highway was my favorite highway. You could see the ocean the whole time. I loved the ocean. The only problem with the highway was that it had a lot of twists and turns. It was a winding path around a mountain. We were on the road for 2 hours now and 30 miles till the nearest town. I kept putting on different songs, each of them getting better and better. We had stopped three different times. Each time to see the view and to let the people go to the bathroom at the rest stops. Sirius was in the front seat and the other four were playing cards in the back. I wanted to talk to him about that kiss they had shared. One way or another I was going to get it in the conversation. How about directly?  
  
"Sirius?" I asked her pulled his attention from the window to me. It was now or never.  
  
"Yes?" He asked. I was going to ask him.  
  
"How's the view." I asked. Coward! I yelled at myself.  
  
"Good." He said turning back to the view. Dammit, I wanted to ask him. I have to ask.  
  
"No, I mean.. Sirius? We need to talk." I said.  
  
"What about?" He asked me still watching the side of the mountain.  
  
"About what happened before school ended?" I said watching the road and not him anymore. But out of the corner of my eye I saw him look at me.  
  
"You're talking about the kiss?" He asked with a smile on his face. I nodded.  
  
"Well, what about it?" He asked. I didn't know what to say.  
  
"Well, for starters." I started. What did I want to know?  
  
"I'll tell you what, I liked it yeah but it meant nothing." Sirius said. I felt my heart break; whatever was left of my heart was breaking. But I couldn't cry. I will not cry. I told myself. I nodded to what he was saying. My throat was closing up and it was hard to breathe. I cleared my throat.  
  
"Likewise, what I was going to say was I think we should forget it ever happened." I said. Sirius nodded but it was hesitant. Could it be that he was lying? No, otherwise he would have said so right? After all he was a ladies man, he loved fooling around with ladies.  
  
We arrived at the place just at one. I made a few more stops on the way just to make sure that we arrived at one. I checked us in and I drove us to our cabin. It was more like a condo. Inside there was a kitchen, a living room, with TV and 3 bedrooms. Two of the bedrooms had two bunks in them. And we had two bathrooms.  
  
"Cool, which room is ours?" Lily asked. I looked around; the one closest to the bathroom would be ours.  
  
"This one." I said pointing to that room. It was painted light purple, like a lilac and the other one was painted a white. The other room had a queen size bed in it. But no one was going to really sleep in there.  
  
We all put our clothes and stuff inside the drawers that were given to us. Two drawers each. I laid all of my clothes nice and neatly inside my drawers and hung up a few dresses that we had. Lily was neatly putting her clothes inside her drawers too. Alyssa just dumped everything inside her drawer.  
  
"Whhoohooo!" Sirius yelled coming into the room and picking Alyssa up. She started to scream.  
  
"Let me go!" She said. Remus tapped Sirius on the shoulder and he took the load off of Sirius' shoulders. Remus ran out of the room with her. Lily and I were laughing.  
  
"Oh! You think that's funny?" Sirius asked me and I nodded. I didn't expect him to pick me up because of the "fight" we had earlier. But he did and he wouldn't put me down until there was a knock on the door. I ran to the door and there was the manager of the place.  
  
"Hello." He said. I gave a short wave. I was a little short of breath. I was afraid that he would tell me to keep it down because of Sirius.  
  
"Um, Are you in charge here?" He asked me. I nodded. I had a fake ID on me that said I was 18.  
  
"Yeah." I said. When he didn't acknowledge my nod.  
  
"Really? Well then I can see your ID right?" He said. I nodded and grabbed my purse on the couch. I pulled out my wallet and then I showed him my ID. He looked at me and then at the ID again.  
  
"Very well. I have come to give you this." He said handing me a piece of paper.  
  
"I expect the rules to be followed otherwise you are out." He said. I nodded and he left.  
  
"No trashing the house. No loud music after one AM. If you have a bonfire, make sure it is extinguished before you leave. No swimming in the ocean when lifeguard is off duty." I read them out loud for everyone to hear. Some of the rules were very reasonable but others were stupid. Like, no fishing on a surf board. What the hell?  
  
"Hey! I'm hungry, when we going to eat?" Sirius asked. We needed to go shopping first.  
  
"Hey, lets go grocery shopping." I said. 


	16. Seeing Alex

We were in the store, all three boys ran off to gather things while Lily and Alyssa were getting milk, bread, and meat. They knew how to cook but not a lot. Which meant that I would be cooking the most. I was getting some lunchmeat when I heard my name.  
  
"Ashleigh?" A female voice asked. I didn't recognize it until I turned around and saw Holly, Alex's sister standing there with Alex. My heart stopped. This was all a dream, just a dream.  
  
"Hi." I croaked out. Alex looked me up and down.  
  
"I thought you moved to Australia or something." Holly said in a disgusted voice. Holly and me have this huge fight before I left and I hit her.  
  
"No, ummm, I moved to England." I said. Holly nodded slowly.  
  
"SO what brings you back? Was it me? I know I am irresistible." Alex asked.  
  
"Don't flatter yourself Alex. I would never come back for you." I said. The smile on his face faded and he looked at me critically.  
  
"Oh that's right, you love losers, not winners." Alex said. He was referring to Conner. My blood was boiling. How dare he talk about Conner like that!  
  
"You know what Alex. I hated you, I will always hate you and right now, I wish you would get out of my face, you and your little slutty sister." I said. I wanted to hurt him so bad.  
  
"I don't care if you hated me. You surely didn't hate me when we were together." He said.  
  
"Actually I did. I just never showed it." I said.  
  
"You know, Ashleigh if I were you. I would get a life." Holly said.  
  
"What the fuck does a life have to do with hating him and you being a slut? God, you're such a moron Holly!" I said leaving them and finding Sirius. He put a load of stuff inside the basket. I looked back at them and they were staring at me with daggers. Sirius walked off down the isle again and Alex came up behind me while was looking at dish soap. He grabbed my from behind and put his arms around my waist.  
  
"I know you liked it when I gave it to you." He whispered in my ear. I thought I was going to cry.  
  
"You forced me to do that. I hate you. Go away!" I said. I almost yelled it. But Sirius came up and tapped Alex on the shoulder.  
  
"What are you doing?" He asked Alex. Alex let go of me and turned to Sirius.  
  
"None of your business." Alex said. Sirius got really close to him.  
  
"When you are touching her, it is my business." He said. Alex backed away.  
  
"Whoa man, I was just leaving." He said walking away. I inhaled deeply to stop myself from crying.  
  
"Who was that?" Sirius asked. I was about to tell him when everyone else came back and put all the stuff in the cart. I started to push it to the cash register. I didn't want anyone to know about Alex.  
  
We paid for everything and went back to the condo. After we put the groceries away everyone went to get ready to go down to the beach.  
  
"Ashleigh, tell who that was at the store." Sirius said we were the only ones in the living room.  
  
"Why does it matter?" I asked him.  
  
"Because I want to know." He said.  
  
"Why? It makes no difference." I said.  
  
"The fact that I know that you can trust me to tell me things does make a difference." Sirius said.  
  
"You know what. I see why you are getting all worked up, he was just my ex that's all." I said. He looked at me and then he hung his head.  
  
"Your ex? Are you planning on going with him again?" Sirius asked.  
  
"Why would you care if I did or not?" I only said this because I wanted to know why he was acting so weird.  
  
"I don't. I just want to know." He said in a small hurt voice.  
  
"No I don't. He's an ass and a half." I said. He nodded. I left him standing there because I needed to get ready. I put on my orange bathing suit, bikini, and I put my light blue shawl over it. It was actually my mom's. I took the sunscreen out of my bag and applied it on my legs and stomach but I couldn't reach my back.  
  
"Need help?" Sirius asked. I nodded. He came over and squirted some into his palm. He rubbed it on my back. Slowly and it took all my will power not to turn around and kiss him. He touched the small of my back and I stifled a moan.  
  
"You know your hands are dangerous." I said. He laughed.  
  
"Why's that." He asked in his very deep voice.  
  
"Too pleasurable." I said. He continued to laugh as he was rubbing it into the small of my back.  
  
"Can I ask you a question?" He asked.  
  
"You just did." I said.  
  
"Ha ha." He said.  
  
"Really though." He said. I nodded.  
  
"Why did you want to forget the kiss?" He asked me.  
  
"Like you said it didn't mean anything. It was just a kiss shared by two friends. That's all." I said. He nodded.  
  
"But what if I meant something. We would you go out with me if I asked you?" He asked me.  
  
"Sirius, I am not looking to get hurt by you or anyone. So I don't know what my answer would have been." I said. He was being way too serious. 


	17. Beach

Sirius, James, and Remus were playing in the water, dunking each other under and such. Lily, Alyssa and I were sitting on our towels bathing in the sun. I was watching Sirius, he was so sexy, it amazed me how he could steal my heart away. I loved Conner but Sirius was the there and now. But he wasn't a sure deal. Not something I was looking for. I needed something real and I would wait however long it takes. I looked up from Sirius to Alyssa who was standing and wiping the sand off her butt. She was wearing a purple bikini. It looked cute on her. It defined her figure and brought out her boobs. Over the small amount of time that we had to ourselves in the beginning of summer she really changed. She wasn't the mousy baggy clothed athletic girl they all once knew. She was becoming more of a woman. Lily was sleeping, or her eyes were shut at least.  
  
"Where are you going?" I asked. Alyssa looked back at me. I had to cover my eyes with my hand to see her. She pointed to a group of boys at the far end.  
  
"I thought I would take a walk." She said mischievously. I laughed and rolled my eyes. She was going to pick up guys. So unlike her, but then again, she hasn't been herself lately. She started to walk that way but before she could make it Remus grabbed her by the knees and lifted her into the air. He was so strong and masculine. It was amazing. His hair and his face looked that of an older man but his body was that of a young boys. Alyssa started to scream for help. I would have helped her but I was just too lazy. All that driving took a huge toll on me. It's hard driving on that winding road and wanting to lay back and relax. Lily stirred next to me.  
  
"Lils?" I asked. She opened her eyes and gave me a questioning look.  
  
"Just wanted to see if you were awake." I said. She nodded and yawned at the same time.  
  
"Yeah, cant fall asleep in this heat, I don't want sunburn." She said. I nodded. People with red hair always seemed to get burnt more server then others.  
  
"Hey, do you think Alyssa has changed?" I asked. Lily sat up leaning on her elbows. She watched the boys tossing Alyssa around and playfully dunking her.  
  
"Definitely. I mean she seems more." Lily couldn't find the right word for it but I nodded, I knew.  
  
"Girlish? Mature? Grown-up?" I said throwing suggestions out there. Lily nodded to each one.  
  
"Not that it's a bad thing, it's just not how we know her." Lily said. Ashleigh understood. After all Lily had been friends with Alyssa long before I entered the picture.  
  
"Yeah, I know what you mean." I said. The boys came running up to us.  
  
"Come on, get in the water, its great." Sirius said he tossed his hair back and out of his eyes. God, he was too sexy. I just wanted to his him.  
  
"No, that's ok." I said and lay back down. Sirius wouldn't take no for an answer. He grabbed my feet and pulled me up against him. For a second I didn't resist because our skin was touching but then I realized he was pulling me toward the icy water.  
  
"No!" I screamed and I hit his chest with my fists. He just pulled me closer into him. His natural fragrance hit me like a wave. It was intoxicating. He entered the water and he was still venturing out. We were in to wear it was up to my chest. The water was so cold that I was shivering from head to toe. And I kept trying to kick him but he would pull back and splash me. I splashed him back and it continued into an ongoing fight. Then a wave hit, crashing over my head and pulling me under. My body twists and turned. I felt like a beanbag hitting the sand and then hitting Sirius and the rocks on the other side. They were small pebbles but to land on them hard was excruciatingly painful. When I finally gathered myself enough to come up for air. Sirius was already there.  
  
"Are you ok?" He asked pulling me up and out of the water. I felt limp in his hands. My arms and legs hurt. My back felt like it cracked into two and my neck was stinging. He put his arm around my knees and back and lifted me out of the water. I didn't resist this time. I hurt too much to do anything.  
  
He set me down onto the towel I was originally on. He sat there with a concerned look on his face. I was drying myself off. My knees were skinned that was the only visible damage. But inside my wounds felt much worse.  
  
"I am so sorry. I didn't mean for that to happen." Sirius said. I nodded. I knew he didn't. I wasn't watching the waves. It was my fault.  
  
"No, it wasn't your fault. I know you didn't mean it. I wasn't watching. Stupid me." I said laughing at myself. He grinned a small grin, but nonetheless it was still there.  
  
"I think I am just going to sit here for awhile." I said. Sirius nodded and left to join the rest. A lifeguard with a yellow lifesaver came running my way. He was cute, his hair was a sandy blonde and he was very built. His eyes were a bright green.  
  
"Hey. I saw you fall out there. Are you ok?" He asked me. I slightly nodded. I couldn't speak. He peeked at my knees and shook his head.  
  
"Come on, I'll fix you right up." He said leading me the lifeguard tower. Inside there was a radio, a personal bag, a seat and a first aid kit. He set me down in his chair. Setting the first aid kit down on the floor, he knelt on one knee to get to my knees. He rubbed some alcohol on the cuts.  
  
"Ow." I said wincing. It stunk. He smiled his smile was gorgeous. Oh, the beauty of lifeguards.  
  
"Oh, you big baby. It doesn't hurt that much." He said. I thought he was flirting. Maybe he was. I'll just flirt back.  
  
"You put that on your cut knee and see how it feels." I told him. He quietly chuckled and continued to clean my knee.  
  
"So what's your name?" I asked him. He looked up and stared me straight in the eye. His eyes were a brilliant green that made me think of Lily.  
  
"Travis. And yours?" He asked. My name? What was my name? Allie, Amy, Oh that's right Ashleigh.  
  
"Ashleigh." I said kind of dorkingly. He smiled again. God, his smile.  
  
"Nice to meet you Ashleigh." He said.  
  
"Like wise." Now, I was flirting with him. I did more body language then actual talking.  
  
"Visitor?" He asked me. I nodded meekly.  
  
"Where do you come from?" He asked.  
  
"Well, I was born here, but I just came from England, I have been there for about a year." I said. He nodded. I wonder how old this guy was.  
  
"I take it that you're not a visitor." I said. He shook his head no.  
  
"Yeah, you don't get many visitors who take on lifeguard jobs on their vacation." I said. He nodded laughing.  
  
"Well, you are all fixed up." He said. I smiled.  
  
"Thanks." I said a girl with long blonde hair and bright blue eyes walked in.  
  
"Hey Travis. Aren't you supposed to be on duty?" The girl asked.  
  
"I was just fixing up this young girl, she wiped out and scraped her knee." Travis said giving the girl a welcome kiss and hug. Young girl? I was nearly 17! What gave him the right to call me young girl? I was mad. I found this nice, cute guy who was flirting back and he calls me a young girl. Bastard. That was probably his girlfriend anyway. Didn't matter I had a chance with a lot of guys this vacation. Any number of them.  
  
I left the tower rather sulking. I didn't like the fact that he thought of me as a young girl. I wasn't a young girl. I was a woman. I checked my watch. It was time for me to get dinner and bring it down here. The barbeque pit was going to be used as our bon-fire. I walked back to the condo. It was muggy inside the place. I opened all the windows. I felt so alone. I wanted Conner to be there. Conner, I could talk to him. But how? Do I have to go to sleep? Can I just concentrate? I tried to concentrate. Conner. Conner.. Conner.Conner. I was soon surrounded by mist, a tingling mist that went through my bones. Conner. Conner. Conner. Conner. And then I was in a room, a blue room with white bunnies on the wall. Conner. Conner. Conner. Conner. And there he was. He was standing in front of me. Watching me. And then a strong arm shook me.  
  
"Ah!" I yelled. The arm pulled back suddenly.  
  
"What the hell!" I said. Sirius was standing in front of me.  
  
"I wanted to make sure that you were still alive." He said. I rubbed my face with my hands. I needed some sleep. But not now. It was getting dark. I looked around and then I looked out the window, down on the beach, Lily, Alyssa and James were holding the fire pit that we were going to use. Remus came bounding toward them carrying firewood.  
  
"I am alive." I said bitterly. He stood there awkwardly. I wanted to kiss him. I wanted to break down into tears. I wanted to be back in Conner's arms again. Sirius could feel my pain and pulled me into a hug. I wanted him so bad. Why did he have to be a player? I needed his touch. I needed his love. But then again he would only break my heart.  
  
Passion hit them both at once, it was like they were both keeping it pent up and they pined to be satisfied. Everyone was down on the beach and I could easily tell them that we got caught up in a fight or whatever. Nothing big. My heart was beating fast and I could feel Sirius' do the same. I looked up and the light in the kitchen lighted his face. His eyes were somber. He wanted this just as much as I did. It was mutual. He was passion hungry too. I put my arms around his neck and pulled his head down. I was going to make the first move. 


	18. Death Eaters in Paradise

Our lips met, for only a brief moment but they met nonetheless. We pulled back looking at each other. Making sure the other was ok with it. I kissed him again, at first it was slow and then it deepened. His hands explored my body as they went down from my shoulders to my waist. Resting on my waist he pushed my up against the wall. A feeling like fire exploded within my body and I felt hungry for more. I needed more. I needed his touch. His kissed me deeper and deeper, his tongue searching for mine. He lifted his hands off of my waist and pinned my hands up above my head. I let out a soft moan. It was like he knew what I wanted. We continued to kiss until we were both out of breath and needed air. I pulled back and away from him. He did the same. I sat down on a nearby chair because my legs no longer wanted to support me.  
  
"What just happened?" I asked breaking the very awkward silence. I hated that type of silence, the kind where you know if you speak first you will sound like an idiot.  
  
"I think we kissed." He stated simply. As if it didn't matter to him.  
  
"Oh." I said. We sat there for a few more minutes in silence before I got up and check the dinner. It was still cooking. Great, more silence. I thought to myself.  
  
"Ashleigh." He said. I looked up from examining my hands.  
  
"Yeah?" I asked.  
  
"Are we going to ignore this or take it seriously this time?" He asked. I thought about it. What was he really asking?  
  
"I dunno, what do you think?" I asked him. I didn't want to answer the question really. Part of my wanted to ignore it and the other part wanted me to embrace it and hold onto it tightly.  
  
"I don't think we should ignore it." He said. I nodded. What did that mean then?  
  
"What should we do? Stay away from each other or what?" I asked him. Hoping he would say or what.  
  
"What's in the or what category?" He asked. I smiled.  
  
"Well, we could keep doing it and not do anything out side of it. Or we can go out." I said. Right now in this mood I was opting for either or.  
  
"Want to keep doing it?" He asked. A part of me got disappointed because he didn't want to go out but I nodded nonetheless. The timer went off and the dinner was done. It was chicken rice and beans. I put everything in the little glad-wear containers and put that in a basket. Sirius got out the paper cups and drinks. He also put in the silverware and the spices into the basket. We loaded up the trunk the stuff and drove down there. I was going to make them try their first smores tonight.  
  
"Are we going to tell them?" I asked him before we got out of the car. He looked at them surrounding the already lit fire and shook his head. I agreed with him. I didn't know how Lily and Alyssa would take it and I didn't want to be teased.  
  
We had a nice dinner and then I somehow managed to teach Sirius how to roast marshmallows. James and Remus took to it fairly quickly, as did Alyssa and Lily. But Sirius could not sit down long enough to roast them. He always was too eager to eat them and ended up burning them. He was our entertainment. That was until some drunken idiots were partying next to them. One of them was so drunk that he ran into ocean almost drowning. We were talking and having a fun time when we saw a group of people in black robes and white masks. Remus saw it first.  
  
"You guys, look at that." He said with half a laugh. I turned her head in the direction, half expecting to see some other drunk fall on his butt. But when I saw the masks and the robes with wands raised. I freaked. Sirius did the same.  
  
"Oh my god. Do you think." I asked Sirius, he knew what I was going to ask. He nodded. I jumped up and helped Lily up. Everyone else got up and we started to run. Remus, Lily, and Alyssa didn't know why they were running. I made them all jump into the car and I started it up. Thank god. We needed to get out of there fast. There were death eaters on the beach. I ripped out of there and we stopped at the condo.  
  
"What is wrong? Why are we running from drunken idiots?" Alyssa asked. James was pale and Sirius couldn't speak.  
  
"They were death eaters." I said. We all knew of them. They were in the paper almost daily. Lily shut up and Alyssa grabbed Remus' hand.  
  
"You guys, grab what ever you need and do it quick. We have to get out of here." I said. They all nodded and ran into the condo. I pulled out all the clothes that I had neatly placed into the drawers, and threw them into my suitcase messily. Lily and Alyssa grabbed their stuff too. I grabbed my wand and I felt all the air being sucked out of me.  
  
"We are lost, in some type of forest and we have no food! Great we are going to starve!"  
  
The vision left as quickly as it came. Something inside my gut told me to grab some food. After all you must be prepared. I pushed my suitcase into Lily's arms and grabbed a bag from under the sink; I started to put foods that couldn't parish in the car. I ran out to the car and loaded the back up. Lily came out struggling with my suitcase and hers. I pulled mine from her hands and threw it on top of the rack on the top of the expedition. I put Lily's along with Sirius' and Remus. They were the next ones out. They took over packing the trunk as I went to the front and started up the car. Lily and Alyssa were in already James seemed to be taking forever. When he finally got out we packed that and took off as fast as we could.  
  
There were a few death eaters in front of the car. I freaked, what was I going to do? Run them over? I couldn't do that! SO I put the car into reverse and started to go back. There were a few loud CRACKs and then they were behind us. Raising their wands. A shot of red light came out of their wands but they didn't hit us because I swerved the car and sped the other way. There was no way they would catch us.  
  
We were racing along in the car. They had to have a certain point to apparate to be safe. And we were going way too fast for them to catch up. I looked down at the gas gauge. It said empty. Sirius saw the worry on my face and when I groaned he looked a little scared.  
  
"What?" He asked quickly.  
  
"We have no more gas, pretty soon we will stop completely and if we stop at a gas station, they got us." I told him. Lily and Alyssa heard this and Alyssa shrieked.  
  
"Calm down Alyssa." Remus said pulling her into his arms.  
  
"What should we do guys?" I asked them. I no longer knew where we were. The street was dark and it looked like we were heading east, away from the ocean.  
  
"What can we do?" James asked. He had found his voice after a while.  
  
"Well, we can stop and chance it, or we can keep going and see where we end up." I said. Both were like doom. I didn't have a cell phone on me and we had no owl. Only our wands and us. 


	19. back home

"I think we should continue on our way, hopefully we can make it to a wizard community or something." James said. They others murmured agreement. They were all silent once again. And then I heard it. A noise from the back, it was coming from the trunk. I had never checked the trunk to see if it was clear. But no one could have gotten in there. No way! Lily and Alyssa were closest to the back, they both got a little scared and climbed over the seat to sit next to Remus and James, making it more cramped than it was. Remus lifted Alyssa onto his lap while James checked the back. He saw an arm fly out.  
  
"Ah!" He said. The arm was struggling. He shakily pointed his wand at the moving arm.  
  
"Come out with your hands up and don't make any sudden moves or I will blow your hand off." James said. I was wondering what the hell was going on. Sirius climbed into the cramped backseat to assist James since both girls were clinging onto Remus. Lily wasn't as scared as Alyssa but she was somewhat scared. She was trying to hide it because she was usually the levelheaded one.  
  
Sirius and James saw half a body and then a whole body come out. A guy with brown hair and a big athletic build emerged from under the seat. I looked in the rearview mirror and recognized him immediately.  
  
"Alex?!?!" I asked disbelievingly.  
  
"Yeah, put your wands down." He said to the guys. James put his down but Sirius kept his up.  
  
"Sirius put your wand down." I told him. Sirius got back into the front seat and James and Remus sat on either side of Alex. Lily and Alyssa were staring at him. Lily had a look of hate because he made her get scared and Alyssa was staring at him because she couldn't believe him. He was sitting there awkwardly.  
  
"What the HELL were you doing in my car?" I asked him. He looked at me and smiled. It was that charming smile that I first lusted after.  
  
"I was going to. play a joke." Alex said. Obviously he had to think. Remus had a hard look on his face.  
  
"What kind of sick joke?" He asked. He was acting like an older brother. Alex looked at him and then he looked at me. The car was sort of slowing down. It was getting close to dying. We needed more gas. I looked around the windows, I couldn't be bothered with Alex right now, and I had other more pressing matters on my hands. Outside trees were zooming past us; it looked as if we were in a type of forest. But it had a main road through it. The started to slow down extremely. I pulled the car over to the side of the road. This was it. We had to walk the rest of the way.  
  
"What? Why are you stopping?" Sirius asked.  
  
"We ran out of gas, we walk the rest of the way." I told him. We all got out of the car. We grabbed a few things that we could carry and a few things that we would need. Some clothes, food, cash and out wands. Sirius, James and Remus carried the backpacks as we started to walk. Alex was walking next to me. I didn't want him to but he was keeping in step with me. His foot flew out tripping me. I fell forward and I landed on my hands. All the air was sucked out of me. I was having another vision.  
  
We were walking down the street and then the Death Eaters apparate right in front of us.  
  
I started to breathe again. Alex was propped up against a tree by Sirius strong arms.  
  
"Don't you ever touch her again or I will kill you with no hesitation!" Sirius yelled in his face. Alex just kept cool. When Sirius finally relaxed his grip and turned to me, Alex looked at me amused.  
  
"Looks like you have a boyfriend Ash." Alex said calmly.  
  
"Go to Hell Alex." I stated. We needed to get off this road now.  
  
"Come on guys, we need to get off this road, it's a main road, easy target." I said wiping my hands on my jeans. I was wearing Capri's and a small T-shirt. I wrapped my arms across my chest. We ventured into the woods. Great, this was just great. Sirius was staying close to Alex and me. I had to keep a keen eye on Alex. The trees were starting to get dense.  
  
"Ashleigh, why are we going this far into the." But lily was cut off. James yelled her name and I turned around so fast that I got whiplash. Two death eaters were coming upon us fast. I grabbed my wand and aimed it at them. The kept coming with their wands raised at us. Sirius, Remus James and Me stood there ready to fight. The shot a jet of green light in our direction and I put my hands up to freeze it. And it froze in midair. Everyone stopped. Not even the uneven breath coming from Alex could be heard. I squinted my eyes and the light swerved and hit a tree. I started to throw spells at the death eaters. Everything I knew I threw at them. Sirius, Remus, and James were doing the same. By the end of it, the two death eaters were down and they weren't coming up anytime soon. We rushed to the aid of Lily. She was one of the smartest here and she was unconscious on the floor. Alyssa was holding her head in her lap.  
  
"She's unconscious." I said stating the obvious. Alex came up toward us now. He was so chicken to do it before.  
  
"Then we leave her behind." Alex said over my shoulder. I turned around so fast I got whiplash again. Ow.  
  
"No we are not!" I yelled at him. Sirius trying to calm me down.  
  
"We have to, otherwise she will slow us down." Alex said.  
  
"Then she will slow us down, I am not leaving her behind. And that is that. Understand? You can leave or you can follow but you will not lead." I told him. He was glaring daggers at me but I would not relent.  
  
"Sirius, give me your backpack, Remus hand yours to Alyssa and Alex take James'. I need you three to carry her. Try to make it fast, she isn't that heavy and we need to continue." I said taking charge. I was a leader at times and this was just a time. They were kind of scared of me I could feel it. It was because of my powers. I'll just have to explain to them later.  
  
We walked for what seemed like hours before we saw a small village. A small village just on the outskirts of the forest that we had entered earlier. I was looking around for any indication of wizards or witches. Alex just stepped forward with no hesitation. He was going to enter the village. I grabbed him by the collar of his shirt.  
  
"Hey! What are you doing!" He yelled at me. Alyssa, and the boys were coming upon us now.  
  
"I'm trying to save all our asses!" I yelled back.  
  
"What are you talking about?" He asked me.  
  
"What if that's a muggle village?" I asked him. He stood there and thought for a minute. Then he nodded. He knew what I meant.  
  
"What are we going to do then?" Remus asked. I looked at the village again. I didn't see any sign of it being wizard.  
  
"I'll go alone and see. You guys stay and here and keep safe." I told them. I was walking out when a hand pulled me back in. It was Sirius' hand. I turned around to face him.  
  
"What?" I asked him.  
  
"I don't want you going alone." He said. He was looking into my eyes. I felt my knees getting weak.  
  
"Someone has to go. And since I am accustomed to muggle tendencies, I think I should go. Besides, you need to stay here and be careful and keep Lily safe with the rest. I'll be right back." I told him. He hesitated but nodded nonetheless.  
  
I walked out this time. I couldn't see what I looked like but when I looked down I was dirty, and my Capri's had little rips in them from the branches as we ran. My hair was a mess, but I still walked toward the small village. The first house which was on my left was a small blue cottage, it had a white picket fence and little mounds of dirt in the front yard, they weren't just any mounds though, they were gnome holes. This was a wizarding house. I knocked on the door and a lady with gray and white hair all over the place answered the door. She looked around wildly and then pulled me into the house. I got scared immediately. I pulled out my wand and pointed it at her.  
  
"Put that away you foolish girl, before you put someone's eye out." She said walking away. I followed her. For some reason I felt under no threat what so ever. After she sat down on her couch and drank something out of a flask I began to relax more and find my voice.  
  
"Um, I came to inquire an owl. My friends and I were attacked and we need to alert my father." I told her. She looked at me as if I was a small speck of nothing. She got up and whistled. An Owl came fluttering it. It was the most beautiful owl I had ever seen. It was a snowy white owl with piercing blue eyes. She made a gesture toward the owl. I grabbed a piece of paper and wrote a quick message sending it to London immediately. The owl left.  
  
"Go and get your friends before they get hurt anymore and bring them back here." She said I was shooed out of her house. I ran to the edge of the forest and yelled for them. They peeked out and followed me to the house. The lady was in the same seat as before. She conjured up enough seats fro everyone. I sat far away from everyone else. I felt that if I got close to them then they would die. This was my entire fault; if they hadn't been with me then none of this would have happened. As I was going though all my thoughts of death and life and me and them, an upsurge of fire came from the fireplace. My dad stepped out of the flames.  
  
"Sonya, is she ok? Where is she?" My dad asked with emergency and worry in his voice. The witch pointed to me and my dad ran to me. He pulled me into his arms and hugged me and then he pushed me back and looked me up and down. He was checking for injuries. My legs were scratched and some dried blood was on my knees. I had dirt on my clothes and skin. But I was still better off than Lily. During the entire reunion between my dad and I, I hadn't noticed that Dumbledore was here too. He was attending to Lily with the with called Sonya. I went over to them. Everyone was watching as Lily opened her eyes.  
  
"Welcome back Miss Evans." Dumbledore said. Alyssa and James were hugging and smothering her. I didn't get close to her. I was no longer one of them I was different. They would hate me once they found out it was my fault that the Death Eaters attacked. I kept backing up until I bumped into my dad. I swung around and hugged him.  
  
"Can we go home?" I asked him. He nodded.  
  
"Dumbledore, I am going to take her home. Ok? Can you manage with them all?" My dad asked him. Dumbledore looked at me with his piercing eyes, I just turned away, and I didn't want to see the look in his eyes.  
  
"Yes, I suppose that is the best thing." Dumbledore said. "Thank you Sonya." My dad said as we flooed to our house. I went first. I didn't want to be there one more second. When my dad came I was heading up the small staircase to my room. I just wanted sleep. It was very late. It was 3 in the morning.  
  
"Ashleigh, I think we should talk." He said. I shook my head no and went to my room. I locked the door and went to sleep. 


	20. school again

Sunlight seeped through the cracks between the blinds in my room. They were advancing upon my bed. I stirred in my bed.  
  
***  
  
"Ashleigh?" It was Conner's sweet voice. I turned to see him standing in front of me. "Conner." I said with surprise in my voice. "Hey, you scraped by death yesterday." Conner said. He reminded me of the thing I was trying to forget. "Lets not talk about that." I said. He nodded. "Fine, but I need to talk to you about that guy." Conner said. Which guy? "Which one?" I asked him. "The one you kissed." Conner said. I turned beet red. He knew about the kiss. "Ash, I am glad you are moving on." Conner said. "Don't worry about it Conner, there wont be anymore kissing." I said. "No, Ash, you need him, just as much as he needs you." But Conner vanished and I was shaken awake by two hands.  
  
***  
  
"Ashleigh, wake up. we need to talk." My dad said shaking me out of bed. I groggily got up and faced him. My hair was all over the place. It was almost time for me to cut it again. I figured that long hair was a symbol of childishness and I was growing up. My dad sat on the edge of my bed; he was just staring at me as if I was a precious gift that he didn't want out of his sight.  
  
"What's up dad?" I asked him wiping the remaining hair out of my face. I always hated to have my hair in my face.  
  
"About yesterday, I know what you must be feeling but it wasn't your fault." My dad said. It was like he was reading my mind. He didn't know how I felt. No one did.  
  
"Dad, I wasn't." I was going to say that I wasn't feeling that but I couldn't lie.  
  
"I know it was. Ashleigh, if it hadn't been for you, they would have died. You would have died. They all told me what you did when Lily got hit. You took charge and made sure that she was safe." My dad said. I had a tear in my eye but I wasn't going to let it fall.  
  
"Dad, I was so scared. I didn't know what to do. I used my "extra" powers to help us out. They all know that I can freeze things and. God dad, they are going to look at me differently now." I said. My whole life I had just wanted to fit in or be accepted but once school started again I would once again be different.  
  
"I don't want to go back to school. please don't make me go back." I said pleading as if it was my life. My dad hugged me tight and held onto me. And we just stayed like that. Holding each other, he was my dad, he was there for me, and he would never leave me.  
  
"Sweetheart, I don't know. You have to go to school. You know you do. and maybe it's for the best. Maybe them knowing is a good thing." My dad said. No, it can't be a good thing.  
  
"You have school tomorrow morning, I want you packed. you need to go." My dad said to me. I felt as if I was being pushed out of the house. As if he didn't want me there anymore.  
  
"Don't you want me? Don't you love me?" I asked him. I know that was a guilt trip but that's how I felt. As if he didn't love me.  
  
The following afternoon I was in the dorm room. The guilt trip didn't even faze him. I threw a tantrum, I cried, I pleaded, and yet here I am. At school again, just waiting for. Lily and Alyssa walked in. Just what I was waiting for. I didn't know why I was; I mean I really didn't want to be close to them anymore. It would only cause them pain.  
  
"Ashawee!" Lily yelped coming up to me and hugging me. I stood there with my arms to my side. They were both hugging me and all I could do was try and wiggle out.  
  
"I have to go and see Dumbledore." I said without emotion. I slipped from their grasp and left the room. I really did have to meet him. This wasn't going to be a great meeting. My dad probably told him all about me and what we had talked about. I knocked on Dumbledore's chamber door and heard her say come in.  
  
"Hello Professor Dumbledore." I touched the handle and another vision was coming to me. All the breath was sucked out of me and I heard ear-splitting screams. It sounded as if a girl was being tortured and killed. The scream was so sharp in my ear that I stumbled into his office. Dumbledore straightened up right away. He was doing something behind his desk.  
  
"Are you ok Miss Cox?" He asked me.  
  
"Yeah, I just tripped walking in." I said. I couldn't get the screaming out of my ear. Dumbledore was staring at me; he was probably expecting me to say something. But I refused to. After a long time of silence he excused me to leave. I left, but instead of going down to the great hall I went to my room. I wasn't hungry anyway.  
  
My room still had some things that were unpacked scattered all over my bed. I tried to busy myself with organizing all my clothes. During Easter Break I will have to go visit Izzy and go shopping. I pulled out my new orange shirt with long white sleeves. On the orange shirt it said 'California' in yellow letters. I looked deeper in my trunk; I found some of my mom's clothes; a sweater that she used to wear all the time, but then I took it over, and a dress, the one that I found absolutely breathtaking on her. I pulled out some of the things that my dad had packed, He packed me some new books that he had picked up while I was in school, a pair of flannel pajamas, some new CD's that Izzy had sent to the house and a box of pop tarts. I smiled when I pulled out the pop tarts. My dad was unusual and very sweet, he would never stop loving me.  
  
Lily and Alyssa walked in. They both sat on my bed looking at all my things.  
  
"Ashleigh what's wrong?" Lily asked. I shook my head as if nothing was wrong.  
  
"Is it your mom again?" Alyssa asked.  
  
"You guys, nothing is wrong." I stated.  
  
"Something is, you were very reluctant today and you didn't come to supper." Lily said.  
  
"Yeah, you usually eat a lot." Alyssa said. I gave her a 'yeah right' look.  
  
"Ok, so I usually eat a lot." Alyssa said. We all busted out laughing.  
  
"I just wasn't hungry. I wanted to finish this." I said pointing to my trunk.  
  
"You know, Sirius was asking about you." Alyssa said acting innocent. My heart skipped a beat. He was asking about me? I didn't know what to say or do. Why would he be asking about me?  
  
"Really?" I asked acting as if I didn't care.  
  
"Oh come on. Don't act as if you don't care." Lily said. I gave her a sharp look to tell her to shut it but she took no notice.  
  
"Ash, he likes you a whole lot. You guys should become a couple." Alyssa said, lately she had become very aware that she had nails and she loved taking care of them.  
  
"I don't think so." I said.  
  
A/N: Sorry its taken me so long to update, school has been very hectic you know. so anyway, hopefully I can get back on it and crank these chapters out fast right? 


	21. Finally!

Chapter 21  
  
Avoiding Sirius and his pals was easy. Except for those moments when Sirius choose to be difficult and very stubborn. I poked my head out of the dorm again. I looked around the corner and down toward the common room. Sirius had finally left; he had been waiting there for half an hour for me. Everyone else was in the Great Hall for supper. I walked down to the common room to get a change of scenery other than my room. I walked toward the fire that always burned at all times. I stood there thinking about Sirius. Amazing how he could spark feelings in me. He made my heart beat just a little faster and my tongue-tie in front of him. I suddenly felt two strong hands on my shoulders. I screamed when I turned and I cursed myself for being so jumpy. Sirius put his arms around me and just held me. I was shaking because it was him, not because I was scared.  
  
"Shhh, its ok, just me." He said. I pulled back immediately and hit both his shoulders with a strong force.  
  
"How dare you scare me like that! What is wrong with you! What if I had cursed you or jinxed you. you could have gotten hurt." I was yelling at him. He just sat back in the chair that he was pushed in by me and just grinned. That sexy grin that made my heart melt. I was shaking with anger now.  
  
"I'm sorry but why are you avoiding me?" Sirius asked. Now, I could have said 'because I love you' or 'I don't know why' but no I just had to deny it.  
  
"I am not!" I yelled at him as if he accused me of murder.  
  
"You are to. You never make eye contact with me, you sit at the opposite end of the table, and you seem to be in your dorm every time I am down in the common room. Why?" Sirius asked. He had come up to my eye level and was holding my shoulders to make sure that I would have told the truth. But I didn't know what to say except "I love you'.  
  
"I don't know why, I didn't notice." I said.  
  
"Bull! You do know why and you did notice, I saw your head peek out to check the room. You saw me in the common room and ran back up to your room. why? Did I do something wrong?" He asked. I looked him in the eye. What was I supposed to do? Say that I loved him and then watch him avoid me?  
  
"Well. No you didn't do anything wrong. It's just, I think. I think I am falling in love with you." I said and I immediately regretted saying it.  
  
"Oh." He said. I then decided to turn my head to break eye contact.  
  
"I don't know about you but I always thought that if you loved or were falling in love with someone, you would want to be near them, not avoid them." Sirius said. "Don't humor me. I know you don't feel the same so now it's your turn to avoid me." I said. Sirius lifted my chin up to look him dead in the eye.  
  
"You don't know what I feel so don't assume you do. I am also falling in love with you. I have ever since I first laid eyes on you. And it wasn't that I want to have sex with you and then dump you feeling. it was real and I have just realized that now." Sirius said. I was dumbfounded. He loved ME. I felt a slow smile creep upon my face. And then I laughed I couldn't help but laugh. His sexy grin had been replaced with a slight frown and look of confusion.  
  
"I'm not laughing because of you or what you said. I just feel EXTREMELY happy right now." I said.  
  
"Oh. Well, so am I." Sirius said. He pulled me so close to him so our noses were about to touch. And then he kissed me, not the hungry kiss that we had before, but the soft gentle promise type of kiss. When we finally pulled apart we were both smiling, ear to ear.  
  
"Should we tell them?" Sirius asked. For a second I forgot who "them" was.  
  
"I guess so, we can't exactly leave them in suspense." I said.  
  
"I know they actually knew that I was going to ask you to be my girlfriend. They helped me plan it." Sirius said.  
  
"What do you mean?" I asked with fake anger.  
  
"Well, James lent me his invisibility cloak, and Lily made sure that no one was in here." Sirius said. I laughed thinking of the things Lily had to do or say to get people out of here. Just then the portrait hole swung open and Lily walked in with James, Remus and Alyssa behind her.  
  
"Yah!" James yelled.  
  
"What are you guys on about?" I asked.  
  
"We know you guys are a couple." Remus said.  
  
"Actually no, I decline." I said. All of their mouths dropped open.  
  
"What did you do wrong!" Alyssa yelled at Sirius. Sirius laughed.  
  
"I'm kidding." I said. Then they all smiled.  
  
"So then you guys are a couple?" Lily asked.  
  
"Yup!" Sirius said and he swung me around and dipped me while kissing me. I ruined the kiss by laughing.  
  
"Awww, how romantic!" Lily squealed.  
  
"Oh really?" James asked and he did the same exact thing to Lily. When Lily was up right once more she turned just as red as her hair. Even James was the same color as her. Obviously he hadn't planned it.  
  
The Portrait hole opened up again and everyone came back in totally oblivious to what had happened.  
  
"How did it go?" Peter asked looking quite flushed. For some reason I couldn't bring my self to like Peter. He seemed like a nice guy but he also seemed like a tag along or a pest.  
  
"It went well." Sirius said. Everyone else nodded. I saw Jezebel walk toward us.  
  
"Sirius, sweety!" Jezebel said pushing me out of the way and hugging Sirius for what seemed like forever, but in reality it was only about 10 seconds.  
  
"He is taken now." Alyssa said through gritted teeth. Jezebel ignored her and continued hanging all over Sirius. I was starting to get mad because he was my boyfriend now, and I shouldn't be subjected to this. And then I realized, no matter who knew that I was his girlfriend, girls would still be making passes at him in front of me, not to mention the looks I would get. Being his girlfriend was going to be tough.  
  
"He's my boyfriend." I said. Jezebel looked at Sirius for conformation. Sirius nodded with a huge smile and put one arm around my waist. I felt fairly confident that I could make it, Sirius just made me happy. I hadn't been this happy since. well since Conner was alive.  
  
The next day, Sirius was waiting for me out in the common room to escort me to breakfast. Being his girlfriend was fun, so far of course. We had Transfiguration first.  
  
"Now, this is your sixth year, that means that you have got to prepare for your N.E.W.T.s." Professor McGonagall said during class. Sirius and James were sitting in front of Lily and me.  
  
"So what did you think of James last night." I asked her in a very low whisper. Lily's head popped up and smiled shyly.  
  
"That was one of the most embarrassing things that have happened to me." Lily said. I laughed which called McGonagall's attention toward us.  
  
"Miss Cox, please tell me, what about the N.E.W.T.s do you think is funny?" Professor McGonagall asked. I had all eyes one me. "The E." I stated low. But it caused James, Remus, Alyssa, Lily and Sirius to laugh.  
  
"Excuse me what was that?" Professor McGonagall asked.  
  
"Nothing Professor, I was just repeating a joke inside my head and I was laughing at that." I said. That was pretty lame but hopefully she would buy it.  
  
"Well then, I guess you could be laughing at it during." But she interrupted by Professor Dumbledore.  
  
"Excuse me, but may I see Miss Cox privately?" Dumbledore asked. McGonagall nodded and I was saved. No detention. I got up and followed him out of the classroom.  
  
"Good Morning Professor." I said. I had no idea why he had called me out of class.  
  
"Ashleigh." He said nodding his head. He was walking fast and it was hard to keep up with him.  
  
"Excuse me, Professor, but what is it that you needed?" I asked politely.  
  
"Well, I need to talk to you. Where were you last night?" He asked me. I thought about it and I was in the dorm the whole night.  
  
"My dorm, I was sleeping. Why?" I asked.  
  
"Because someone said they caught you out of the dorm room and you did this." He said when he reached his office. He stood to the side and he revealed Snape sitting there, Snape's nose had turned into a pigs nose, he was completely bald. He had buckteeth and warts covered his hands and arms. I looked to Dumbledore and shook my head.  
  
"I did not do that." I said. Hopefully he could tell when I was telling the truth, he had to believe me.  
  
"Yes you did!" Snape said in a funny voice. I couldn't help but laugh, and that didn't help my situation.  
  
"Professor, you have to believe me, I didn't do it. I was asleep in my dorm, from 9 till 6 the this morning." I said. Dumbledore made me sit next to Snape and he sat across from us at his desk.  
  
"Ashleigh, I am afraid that I will have to give you 2 weeks detention." Dumbledore said.  
  
"But Professor I didn't." He put his hand up and I shut up.  
  
"I have a witness from a different house and Mr. Snape here, says that he say you. The evidence is overwhelming." Dumbledore said. "But." I started to protest, I didn't do anything of the sort.  
  
"I'm sorry, but your jokes have gone too far. One more stunt like this and I am going to have to expel you." He said. I had detention with the caretaker that night. We had a huge discussion with my dad before I was excused to go to lunch.  
  
At lunch I saw Sirius, Lily, Alyssa, James and Remus with Jezebel at the table. Jezebel was hanging on Sirius again and no one was talking to her. Sirius was trying to keep her hands off him but it wasn't working. When Sirius saw me he jumped up and came toward me.  
  
"You were gone a long time. What did Dumbledore want?" Sirius asked. I glanced toward the high table and saw Dumbledore looking at us. I looked away, I was mad. How dare he give me detention for something I didn't do!  
  
"I got detention for two weeks." I said sitting down in the group. By the time I sat down Jezebel was gone.  
  
"For talking back to McGonagall?" Sirius asked amazed.  
  
"No. For attacking Snape, which I didn't do." I said. Everyone listened while I told them the story.  
  
"Well cant we tell him that you were in the dorm the whole night?" Lily asked.  
  
"No use, he's made up his mind. He'll just say that you were sticking up for me cause I am your friend." I said.  
  
"Oh come on, Dumbledore isn't even that unfair." James said.  
  
"Well he's being pretty unfair now..." I said.  
  
We all thought up of possibilities as to how Snape had pulled it off. He had gotten a witness form another house to say that I did it. But how?  
  
*A/N: Sorry once again, lol.. Ummm, this is pretty much the same chapter as before but I changed about one sentence and I added more. Hope you enjoy. 


	22. Another Encounter

People like Snape pissed me off to no end. If Snape wanted me to get detention, I will just have to earn my detention. I was sitting in the common room trying to come up with all the different ways that I could make Snape's life a living hell. When Jordan walked into the common room and sat down next to me.  
  
"Hi." He said and I was pulled out of my deep thought. He seemed a little nervous to me but I didn't know why.  
  
"Hey, how are you?" I asked him. I had a pad of paper in front of me and I had written down 3 ideas to get back at Snape.  
  
"Can we talk? You see I find the fact that you told me that you didn't want to go out with me because you were still crazy about your ex and then. funny enough you end up with Sirius. Sirius Black of all people. The biggest womanizer that both of us know." Jordan said. I closed my eyes, I thought watching Sirius be surrounded by girls was going to be hard to stand but to sit here in front of someone that I dated and to be confronted on my choice was torturing.  
  
"Jordan, you don't know him. He is a different person around me." I said trying to justify Sirius' actions and behavior.  
  
"I know enough to understand that you are going to get hurt. You better get out of it now. Remember I have been here 3 years longer than you. But if your not going to listen then at least know that I will be here for you after all this." Jordan said. He left after that and I was alone again. Everyone was in the Great Hall for supper. I didn't want to show my face because I was mad at Dumbledore and when I get mad I hold a grudge for a long time. Dumbledore had no right to punish her without criminating evidence.  
  
Sirius came in with a plateful of food. He handed it to me.  
  
"Here, you really need to start coming to supper, I get questioned by McGonagall every time I try to leave." Sirius said as I was eating my dinner.  
  
"I know I need to but I don't want to. I'm mad at him. He was wrong and I was right. It's as simple as that." I said I had made up my mind already.  
  
"I hope I never make you made." Sirius said joking.  
  
"I seem to be more harsh with boyfriends." I said. I pulled him in close and kissed him. He smelled so good that it make me drowsy and dizzy.  
  
"Mmmm, is that harsh? Cause if it is then I guess I'll have to make you mad every single day." He said. I laughed at him and pushed him away, that's when he caught a glimpse of my paper.  
  
"Thinking of ways to get back a Snape huh?" Sirius said. "Yeah, I'm trying to think of things that you haven't done." I said.  
  
"Maybe you should pull the thong thing again." Sirius said.  
  
"I don't know about you babe but I REALLY don't want to see his bony pale ass. Do you?" I asked him. He gave an extremely bad expression. I'm guessing he had a visual.  
  
"You're right. That would be VERY traumatizing." Sirius said. People then started to flow into the room and it seemed to get very crowded. Remus and Peter sat down next to Sirius.  
  
"Well guys I would love to sit and chat but I have detention to attend to." I said leaving the common room. Lily and Alyssa were chatting loudly; we were the only ones in the particular hallway.  
  
"Hey guys! Do me a favor, keep an eye on Courtney and Jezebel please." I said.  
  
"No problem Ash." Alyssa said and I headed toward Professor McGonagall's office.  
  
"Miss. Cox, come in." She said I walked in cautiously.  
  
"Good evening Professor." I said. I may get into a lot of trouble now and then but I learned early on that a little butt kissing goes a long way with professionals.  
  
"Sit down please." The Professor said. I sat down in the chair opposite of her. And she stared at me.  
  
"Dumbledore has informed me of your actions. He has also noticed that you haven't come to one meal since then. Are you starving yourself?" She asked.  
  
"No Professor." I said. She eyed me as if she wanted to make sure that I wasn't lying.  
  
"You have definitely had a very different and eventful life. Wouldn't you say?" She asked. I knew she was setting a trap and I was about to take the bait.  
  
"I guess it all depends on what you call eventful." I shrugged.  
  
"Well considering your past and not to mention that trouble seems to follow you around. Either that or you create trouble for yourself." She said.  
  
"With all do respect Professor, I didn't do what Dumbledore accused me of. And I didn't choose to be the one who Voldermort is after. And I especially didn't mean to hurt that boy last year; he was just in the wrong place and made enemies with the wrong people. And I may regret the fact that I didn't stop the joke from happening but I cant change that now and I accepted my punishment and everything." I said.  
  
"Are you saying that you think Dumbledore is a liar?" Professor McGonagall asked.  
  
"No Professor. I love my uncle but I didn't do it. And I believe that he is bound by school rules to punish someone, but I also believe that he could have made more of an effort to find the person responsible for it rather than accuse me of something I didn't do." I said.  
  
"Miss Cox, You have criminating evidence against you. A Gryffindor saw you do it not to mention Mr. Snape himself had said it was you." She said.  
  
"A Gryffindor? Why would a Gryffindor say that I did it? I didn't do it." I said.  
  
"You also know how to do it, from what I know you have knowledge of very complicated and very extensive spells. Ashleigh, right now you are in a rough spot. It seems that everything is against you and unless you come up with some real evidence than have to take the consequences." She said folding her hands. I knew I wasn't going to get anywhere and no one was going to believe me.  
  
"I can see that no one is going to believe me or hear my case but I can tell you this, I'll suck it up and I'll pay for someone else's crime but when I find out who really did it. you're going to feel real stupid." I said. I knew that I had crossed a boundary but threatening the Professor in a way but dammit I was mad. I saw Professor McGonagall stiffen.  
  
"Very well. Tonight I want you to go back to your common room and think about this. and I want a foot of parchment apologizing to Mr. Snape." She said. I nodded and got up.  
  
"Good night Professor." I said to her and left. I was to go straight to the common room and I needed time to think about the Gryffindor who lied about me. I went back to the common room.  
  
"So that went quick." Sirius said. I nodded I was in another world thinking about who it could have been. I made a short list of all my enemies. There was Courtney and Jezebel. And that would pretty much it. Although, it could have been any girl that had gone out with Sirius.  
  
Sometimes I felt out of place. All of these people have known each other for a long time and I came in late. They were all chatting as if nothing in the world mattered. And I felt as if the would was closing in on me. There were so many things that were against me and I felt as if I was running out of breath.  
  
"I'm going to go for a walk." I said suddenly. Sirius got up and held my hand.  
  
"Need some company?" he asked.  
  
"No, not tonight, I really just want to be alone and not think. You know what I mean?" I said. He looked a little hurt but he understood and let me go. I left the common room just as quietly as I had entered.  
  
I slipped out of the castle; the air in there was so stale that I felt like I was choking. I walked along the edge of the forest. I thought the world was so against me. No way would anyone help me out of anything, I always had to do it myself. Me, the all-powerful. If I was so powerful then why did I have such a giving heart? Why did so many people step all over me and get away with it?  
  
"Why why why?" I asked myself as I sat at the edge of the lake and forest.  
  
"Because you let them." A voice hissed from within the forest. I pulled out my wand and jumped to my feet. If someone were going to attack me then I would fight back.  
  
"Who is there?" I asked and my voice squeaked. It showed my fear.  
  
"Someone who respects you. Someone who wouldn't dare step all over you." The voice said again. I caught some familiarity in it but not much.  
  
"Who are you?" I asked looking for a name or a face to match the voice of his. A head slowly came out and I saw Voldermort standing there towering over me. And yet I didn't move or run, I stayed where I was.  
  
"What do you want?" I asked him. He gave a soft smile that one wouldn't expect from a man who had murdered thousands of innocent people.  
  
"I'm here to be your friend. You feel lonely." He said. Anger boiled within me, he didn't know what I felt.  
  
"You don't know what I feel. And you never will." I said there was no way that I could be TOO harsh to this guy.  
  
"I know that you feel lonely, this is your second year, people are ganging up on you and you feel helpless. I've been there. I just decided to take matters into my own hands." He said.  
  
"Yeah, and you killed thousands of innocent people too." I said bitterly two of them being close to me.  
  
"You call them people? I call them pathetic." Voldermort said.  
  
"So you're saying that my mother was pathetic?" I asked him. He laughed.  
  
"No, you're mother was dedicated, she was lovely and she didn't deserve to die." He said looking away and then back at me. I had detected a bit of love within his voice.  
  
"Then why did you kill her?" I asked him.  
  
"'Cause things didn't go the way I planned." He said.  
  
"Why are you acting so. different?" I asked him. He wasn't acting at all as how I had pictured him to be.  
  
"I don't know what you mean." He said.  
  
"Well, last time we came face to face you wanted to kill me. Now you want to be my friend? What's the catch?" I asked him. I was right. He was acting a little strange but it felt comforting some how.  
  
"I didn't want to kill you. but I would have had to if you defied me." He said. I got up.  
  
"I got to go. Around this time Hagrid comes around here to check things out." I said giving him the heads up to leave in case someone did come. He nodded and let me go. I had to admit, that was NOT how I had pictured our next encounter at all. 


	23. Jordan

Chapter 23  
  
**  
  
I walked into the Great Hall for dinner the next night. It was time to come in there again. I walked in holding Sirius' hand. I figured whoever told Dumbledore it was me would be in the Great Hall and see me walk in with Sirius. The more people who looked mad or gave me bad looks would be suspects on my list. Sirius kissed my hand lightly before we sat down. He was trying to keep my mind off of things. And that is what I needed after being confused with Voldermort.  
  
"Hey Ash, I was wondering are we still on for studying tonight? For Samuels' test?" Jordan asked. I looked at Sirius to see if he was ok with it but he just seemed to not listen.  
  
"Yeah sure. The library?" I asked and the Jordan left.  
  
"So you have a date with Jordan tonight." Sirius said he seemed just a little mad.  
  
"It's not a date," I said taking a deep breath. I knew it was going to be one long night.  
  
"That's what it sounded like. Tonight the library, you and him." Sirius said.  
  
"Sirius if you want me to break it off then I will. I'm not going to piss you off when we have only been together for less than a week." I said.  
  
"No, you know what you go and 'study' with him. I'll go and hang with my friends." Sirius said and he picked up his plate and sat next to Mundungus, a fowl and sneaky person in the 7th year.  
  
"Sirius," I said but he as already gone. Lily and Alyssa gave me a 'what happened' look. I ignored it and motioned to them that they would know later.  
  
Later that night I was sitting the library with Jordan going over the History of Hogwarts. We had a big test on the Goblin Rebellions, and there were so many. It seemed that we were forever learning about the Goblin Rebellions, each one of them different and yet very similar.  
  
"I hope I didn't cause any troubles between you and Sirius." Jordan said looking up from his book. I kept looking at my book trying to concentrate on the words.  
  
"No problem. He'll get over it." I said. He better otherwise things will be worse off then they were before.  
  
"Yeah, you know. Ash, I know him as mush as you think I don't, I do. He lives in the same dorm as me and he is a very jealous man and yet when it comes to girls touching him, he's so smooth about it, he doesn't really care." Jordan said. "Jordan, that was the old Sirius." I said desperately trying to believe myself.  
  
"Ash, whether that was the old or the new, he's still the same." Jordan said.  
  
"I can't believe that." I stated and we left it at that.  
  
We got back to the Common room and I searched for Sirius but I didn't find him. Jordan tapped my shoulder and I turned to face him. He gave me a hug and a kiss on the cheek.  
  
"Thanks." He whispered and I pulled away from him immediately. And yet somehow, that small kiss on the cheek had brought back memories of the kiss we shared near the Shrieking Shack that one Hogsmeade weekend.  
  
"Good night." I said firmly and I left to find Lily or anyone I could talk to. I didn't find anyone so I sat down near the fire and I stared into it. 'Oh if only I could talk to Izzy.' I thought as I sat there alone. Courtney came up behind me and sat down in front of me. I stiffened.  
  
"Hi." She said. I just nodded. I wanted to say as little as possible.  
  
"You know I saw what happened between you and Sirius. I'm sorry. He can be such an ignorant jerk at times." Courtney said I just stared at her. Was she serious?  
  
"What are you talking about?" I asked her.  
  
"Sirius throwing a fit because Jordan and you wanted to study." She said.  
  
"What about it?" I asked.  
  
"If I were you I wouldn't take it." She said.  
  
"Courtney, go away please. I'm tired." I said just as Sirius walked in with Jezebel hanging on him. I gave a small short laugh at the scene before me. What a coincidence. I got up and went to my dorm room. It was a wonderful September night and it seemed to be a shame to waste it. I went back down and tried to avoid anyone that I could. I wanted to go back outside of the castle, I still had half an hour before curfew and it could be spent looking up at the stars. I was on my way out of the castle when Dumbledore appeared right next to me.  
  
"Good evening Miss Cox." Dumbledore said as we walked toward the door that led to outside.  
  
"Good evening Professor." I said. We continued to walk down the steps and unto the grassy slope.  
  
"I'm guessing that your detentions are going well?" He asked me. I've had to write a dozen essays and do polish silver, which I swear if I have to polish once more than it might make a hole.  
  
"Yes Professor." I said as cold and formal as I could.  
  
"Ashleigh, I know you are mad. But I had to do something." He said. I nodded.  
  
"I also have knowledge that you have seen Voldermort, is that true?" He asked me. I looked up at him so fast my neck gave a spasm.  
  
"What are you talking about?" I asked him.  
  
"I think you know what I am talking about. And I can't stop you from talking to him. But remember this, Tom is a very manipulative man. He will do anything and everything to get what he wants and right now he wants death." Dumbledore said.  
  
"I can't believe anything that anyone says anymore. Everyone lies." I said stalking off.  
  
"Oh God please don't let us lose her." I heard before I left. I didn't want to go back to the common room but I didn't want Dumbledore to see me go to the edge of the forest. 


	24. Making up

Chapter 24  
  
**  
  
"So I heard that Sirius wasn't too happy that you and Jordan went to the library to study." Lily said when we were doing some homework in the dorms. I needed a friend right now and Lily was there.  
  
"Yeah, do you think it was wrong of me to agree to study with Jordan?" I asked confused. I used to be so full of womanpower and I always knew what to do.  
  
"No, of course not. Ash, you need to keep in charge, don't let him control you, that's what all guys want but us women have to stick together and keep strong." Lily said.  
  
"Lily, I don't know what to do. He seems so mad and I want to be mad at him and yet I want us to be together and not fight, you know what I mean?" I asked her.  
  
"Ash, the only piece of advice that I can give you is. don't lose your strong opinion or your mind." Lily said and we giggled. I knew she was right; I shouldn't lose my strong opinion. That was one of the things that made me, one of the things that made Sirius fall in love with me. But I also knew that he had his own strong opinion and that's why I fell in love with him.  
  
I went to bed that night thinking about what I was going to do. When I had returned to the common room that night I found Sirius surrounded by girls and it didn't even faze me. Why? I used to be so uptight about those things. If a man was mine then he was ONLY mine.  
  
"Ash?" I heard a whispering voice. It was a manly voice and I couldn't figure out where it had come from though.  
  
"Ashleigh?" I heard it again. It was coming from the window. I got up and went to the window that over looked the forest. I loved the view and we were so lucky to get the view. I looked out the window but I didn't see anyone.  
  
"Hi!" Sirius said. His face popped out right in front of me and I fell on my butt. He chuckled and I scowled. I jumped up and rubbed my butt it hurt. He was floating on his broom.  
  
"What are you doing?" I asked in a hush urgent whisper.  
  
"I came to talk to you." He said.  
  
"You couldn't talk to me earlier?" I asked him. He hung his head for a second and then he looked back at me.  
  
"Ash, come with me. Please." He said. I glanced back at Lily and the other girls.  
  
"I don't know." I started to say and then he grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the window. I was dangling and trying not to scream.  
  
"Sirius! Let me go!" I said loudly. The cold air was whipping at my bare legs. I was wearing shorts and a tank top. I was figuring that I would stay in my warm room. Sirius pulled me up with all his strength and he set me on his broom. I was in front of him and we started to go down slowly. I was catching my breath.  
  
"I'm sorry." He said. I clung onto him. I was so scared of heights.  
  
"Sirius get me down now. I'm scared of heights." I said.  
  
"I'm sorry, I didn't know." He said.  
  
"That's because you don't know me. You think you do. But you don't." I said. I was feeling mad now. He didn't have a right to do that to me.  
  
"Ash, we need to talk." He stated.  
  
"What's so important that it couldn't wait until tomorrow?" I asked him. I was very curious. We weren't going down anymore, we were going toward Hogsmeade.  
  
"I need to tell you some stuff, and I want you to tell me a few things. You are right, I don't know you, I don't know you as well as I would like to. So lets get to know each other." Sirius said. I was dumbfounded.  
  
"Ok." I said. We landed in front of the walloping willow and I saw a little rat. That made me not want to get off the broom. Sirius jumped off and opened up a secret passage way.  
  
"Where does that lead?" I asked him. He held my hand and lowered me into the tunnel.  
  
"Are you ok?" he asked me gently. It was that gentleness that he showed at times, the gentleness that swept me off my feet.  
  
"Yeah. Now where do we go?" I asked him. He led me by my hand we walked for a long time. We entered into a torn up living room. There were claw marks on a lot of the walls and blood on the walls and floor. There was a sofa that was in the middle of the room. It had a few scratches on it but it was still in tact.  
  
"Here, you sit here." He said sitting me down on the sofa.  
  
"What is this place?" I asked him as he sat down next to me.  
  
"It's the inside of the Shrieking Shack." He said.  
  
"Are you serious? The inside? Isn't it supposed to be haunted?" I asked. He nodded and laughed at the same time.  
  
"Lets talk about something else." He said.  
  
"Like what?" I asked him.  
  
"Lets start with, tonight" He said.  
  
"What about it?" I asked.  
  
"I'm sorry. I saw your face when you saw all those girls around me. I shouldn't have done that and I definitely shouldn't have gotten mad because you wanted to study with some guy. Even if he was your ex-boyfriend." Sirius said.  
  
"Sirius, it was just instinct that you got mad. And I wasn't hurt when I saw all those girls. I knew that being your girlfriend wasn't going to be easy. But I signed up for the job anyway. Do you know how many threats I have gotten since I became your girlfriend? A lot and I knew each and every time that I was the lucky one." I said. He smiled that soft lovely smile that I loved so much.  
  
"You are not like any other girl that I have met." He said.  
  
"How many Americans have you met?" I asked him. We both laughed and I leaned against him with my back to him. He put his arms around me and I breathed in his scent. I loved his scent.  
  
"I love you." He whispered into my ear. It sounded so romantic that I thought it was all a dream.  
  
"I love you too." I said to him. We spent a considerable about of the night talking about life, love and our pasts. He wanted to hear about Conner and I wasn't ashamed to tell him.  
  
"He was one of those guys that authors loved to write about. He had all the characteristics and personality traits that made a lot of girls fall in love with him and yet he wasn't all that popular because he had made enemies early on in school. And then he died two years ago." I said and yet I didn't cry when I was talking about him.  
  
"You really loved him didn't you?" Sirius asked. He was kissing my cheeks every now and then and I was playing with his fingernails. I always had a fascination with a man's fingernails.  
  
"Yeah I did. But there is always room in my heart for you Sirius." I said. He kissed my cheek again and I turned my head a little and we ended up kissing. 


	25. Sticking Charm

Chapter 25  
  
**  
  
Weeks had passed and Sirius and I were closer than ever. I eventually forgave Dumbledore but not Snape. I was in Dumbledore's office at least once a week and we just chatted for about an hour each time. It was one of those evenings and I was sitting across from him. I had just introduced Dumbeldore to peanut butter and fluff sandwiches.  
  
"I must say, these have an extraordinary taste to them." Dumbledore said after taking a few bites.  
  
"I thought you might like them." I said giggling. We chatted some more and we ended up on the subject of Voldermort. I never did tell anyone about that night near the forest. I didn't know what people might think but I had to tell someone.  
  
"Dumbledore, what would you say if I told you that I did have some encounter with Voldermort." I asked him innocently.  
  
"I would understand." He said I nodded and then I squirmed a little.  
  
"Ok. in that case, I did." I said simply.  
  
"I thought so." He said.  
  
"He told me that he wanted to be my friend. And I felt so alone that night. I needed one." I said.  
  
"Ashleigh you are never alone. No matter what you think, no matter what you feel you will always have me, your dad and you friends." He said. I gave a half nod.  
  
"You're right but I thought you were against me. I couldn't find my friends and my dad's letters have been getting less and less frequent." I said.  
  
"Ok. Ashleigh don't take this the wrong way but you are very impressionable. All teens are. That's why Voldermort has more success recruiting teens rather than adults. He is a very good actor, I learned that the hard way." Dumbledore said. I wondered how Voldermort acted toward him. But I didn't ask out of respect.  
  
"He seemed saddened by my mother's death. Did they know each other?" I asked him. He slowly nodded.  
  
"How?" I asked.  
  
"Your mother and him went to school. They were good friends. Both of them put up with a lot for having a friend in a rival house. Sadly enough, Tom fell in love with your mom but she fell in love with your dad. He took it pretty hard." Dumbledore said with a solemn face.  
  
"Are you serious! That's nuts!" I said. He nodded. After the talk, I went back to the common room.  
  
"Ash!" Sirius yelled. He was surrounded by the Maurders, Lily and Alyssa. I walked toward them. Alyssa was reading Miss Spell, the witches guide to magical beauty spells. Lily was curled up next to her, she was reading one of my favorite muggle books, Moby Dick. James and Peter were playing exploding snap and you could tell by all the soot on their faces. Sirius and Remus were playing wizards' chess.  
  
"Aha! Checkmate!" Sirius exclaimed.  
  
"No way! We have to play again! I call a rematch." Remus said.  
  
"No way moony, my girl is back. You're going to have to play yourself." Sirius said.  
  
"You sold me out for a girl." Remus said. I only smiled. Ever since that night at the Shrieking Shack, Sirius and I have been doing great. He walks me to all of my classes, even when I protest because he might be late to his own. And I thought it was just too sweet. I sat on his lap and he kissed me on the cheek. I had a thing about kissing in public.  
  
"Lily you seem to be deeply interested in that book." I said. She sighed and put the book down.  
  
"I have never read something so good. I mean the way Captain Ahab wants total revenge is unbelievable. It's like, it doesn't matter how many people he kills just as long as he gets revenge." Lily said. Sounds familiar, I thought.  
  
"I know, it's a really good book, I love it. Its one of my favorite books." I said.  
  
"Oh come on Sirius! One more game, I need to beat you." Remus said setting up the board again.  
  
"You can't beat him, he is the WCM. Wizards' Chess Master." I said. When Sirius heard that he started to tickle me. I was squirming and laughing, it made the attention land on me.  
  
"Oh, get a room!" James said. The others agreed with him.  
  
"We would if we could. But we cant so deal with it." Sirius said. I hit him playfully.  
  
"Don't be so mean." I said.  
  
"I'm not, the bloke knows I'm playing." Sirius said. I got up and left the common room after saying good night to everyone. I needed to think on my own and it was late anyway. The Prefects were about to rush everyone off to bed anyway.  
  
The next day, while Sirius, Alyssa and Remus and I were in the classroom waiting for Lily and James to come in so we could have our lively talks during class, which we normally got in trouble for. Peter seemed to just hang around and agree to everything that people were saying. He would do anything to have a bodyguard like James and Sirius. Which annoyed me to no end. I figured that we had it in pairs, Remus with Alyssa (so going to happen soon, I have seen the way that they looked at each other.), James with Lily, and me and Sirius. Peter wasn't fitting in any part of the equation. We tried to set him up countless times but he just didn't get it.  
  
Lily and James walked in right before the bell rang. The Professor asked them to sit and they did. Lily sat between Alyssa and me. She had a huge smile one her face.  
  
"You guys!" She whispered excitedly. We looked at her weirdly and then back at the Professor who was looking our way. I was listening to Sirius and James behind us.  
  
"So did you?" I heard Sirius ask.  
  
"Yup." I heard James say and he had joy in his voice. I nudged Lily and she handed me a note. 'I was talking to James and he asked me out.. I said yes.' Upon hearing this info I squealed with joy for her and handed the note to Alyssa. The Professor looked over at us.  
  
"Miss Cox, will you please leave that seat. Trade seats with Mr. Malfoy at once." He said. I froze because Snape was sitting next to Malfoy.  
  
"But Professor, I don't get along well with Snape, not at all." I said. He eyed me.  
  
"Fine then, you will just have to get along with him for the rest of the day." He said leading me to Malfoy's vacant seat. He sat me down next to Snape and performed a sticking charm on us.  
  
"Professor this is totally unfair!" Snape yelled. He shrugged his shoulders and went back to teaching. My shoulder was stuck to Snape's shoulder.  
  
"Keep your hands off me." I whispered ferociously. He glared at me through his beady eyes.  
  
"I can't help it." He whispered back.  
  
"I know I am irresistible but keep your bloody hands off of me and my stuff." I said through clenched teeth.  
  
"You're not irresistible." He said. I pushed my shoulder and he pushed back.  
  
"I know that you lied and you convinced some Gryffindor to also lie for you. Why? What did I ever do to you?" I asked. We were sitting in the back row of seats and the teacher couldn't hear us over all of his own talking. He never allowed anyone to talk over him. I guessed it was because he loved to hear himself talk. And to make things worse he spoke in a monotone. Very boring.  
  
"Shut up." He said.  
  
"Severus, you watch out because I am out to get you. And I will get you. I am very vengeful." I said. The rest of the class I would push him and in turn he would push me too. 


	26. Remus

Chapter 26  
  
**  
  
I had to march around school all day with Snape attached to me. Sirius wanted to kick his arse (yes, a new English word that I absolutely love.) many times.  
  
"Snape! Stop!" I yelled at him as we entered our next class. It was Transfiguration, and Professor Mcgonagall was staring at us with a weird expression on her face.  
  
"Snape, Cox, get over here right now." She said. We walked our way over there.  
  
"Why are you guys like this?" She asked.  
  
"He did it!" I said at the same time he said, "She did it!"  
  
"I don't care who did it, how did it happen?" She asked us.  
  
"The Professor used a sticking Charm to teach us a lesson." I told her. We were pushing each other back and forth.  
  
"You two are acting like little kids." The Professor said. She undid the charm and pointed us to our seats. I sat next to Sirius because I wanted to be near him again.  
  
"That was some comedy." Peter said who was sitting next to Sirius. I gave him a death glare because I was so mad, I knew I didn't mean to take it out on him but he was the first to talk.  
  
Later that day I was sitting in the common room with Alyssa.  
  
"I can't believe they got together." Alyssa said with a big smile on her face. We both knew she was kidding.  
  
"Oh come on, we both knew it was only a matter of time," I said. Lily came up upon us.  
  
"What was only a matter of time?" She asked. He both looked at each other and giggled. Lily looked from both of us and then she sat down.  
  
"You talking about me?" She asked.  
  
"Yes, we were wondering what made you change your mind about James?" Alyssa asked. I was wondering the same thing. Just after O.W.L.s last year, she hated him with all of her being.  
  
"Well, during the summer we started to owl each other and we got close and well I started to like him more. little by little." She said. We giggled as we read the love notes that James had sent to her over the summer. We giggled and we oooed and awwwed until the guys walked in.  
  
"What are you girls looking at?" James asked. His ears had turned pink as he recognized the letters that he spent hours and hours pouring his soul into them to get Lily.  
  
"Nothing." I said hiding the letter I was holding.  
  
"I can't believe you Lily!" He said with fake anger. She bit her lip and tried to smile sweetly. He came over to her and started to tickle her.  
  
"Stop.. Stop.. Stop!" She shrieked with laughter in her voice. Sirius sat next to me smiling at the image before him. He was glad that his best friend had gotten what he had always wanted. Lily. Remus sat across from Alyssa and opened his book. He looked like he hadn't been sleeping for days. He had dark circles under his eyes and his hair seemed more gray then usual. I thought it was due to the fact that maybe a family member was sick. A lot of his family got sick very easily. Almost once a month and that was since I had been coming to this school.  
  
"Remus you look very tired." I commented making myself comfortable in Sirius' arms. It seemed as if we were the perfect match. Like two puzzle pieces that fit to make a larger picture.  
  
"Do I?" He asked politely.  
  
"Yeah, is everything ok?" I asked him, I was just naturally concerned about people.  
  
"Yeah, why wouldn't things be?" Remus asked still looking in his book.  
  
"I don't know. Someone in your family sick again? You know I know a great doctor, one of my dad's friends, she can fix anything." I said trying to help.  
  
"Thank you but I am sure things will be fine." He said.  
  
"Ok, but I'm here, with the name, I need to make one call." I said. He nodded still staring at his book.  
  
"I'll tell my mom that tomorrow." He said.  
  
"You're leaving?" Alyssa asked. He nodded and tried to avoid all of the gazes from us.  
  
"God Bless her." I said. That night we had astronomy homework. I hated calculating the moon chart. I charted the moon for the last three weeks. My diary was sitting next to me. I haven't read my diary over in a while. My dorm was empty and I had the time. Besides I was a procrastinator. I picked it up and flipped back a couple of pages. I looked over the last few months and realized that once a month Remus would go and visit his family. Because of a sick relative or a dead relative. It didn't matter he always left once a month. I looked at my chart and I looked at the dates that Remus would leave. He always seemed to leave the day of a full moon. The day of the full moon, maybe one of his relatives was werewolf. Then I laughed at myself for seeming so silly. Werewolves were very rare and it wasn't likely that Remus was related to one, much less is one.  
  
I went to sleep that night and my dreams were filled with werewolves and dogs. And then something oddly familiar came to me. I was in the forbidden forest and I heard the crunching of twigs. Sirius was beside me and then I saw it. A werewolf coming straight for me its teeth were glistening in the moonlight. I tried to scream but nothing came out.  
  
I woke up bolting up right; sweat was plastering my hair to my forehead. For some reason I remembered what had happened last year. During detention, I remember the werewolf coming toward us and Sirius turning into a dog.  
  
I walked out of my dorm; there was no way that I could sleep. I could have sneaked out of the castle easily. So I did. I left and walked toward the Forest. I needed closure; there couldn't REALLY be a werewolf in the forest. Dumbledore wouldn't want that on this campus. It would be horrible if it accidentally bit a student. Although the forest is off limits to students. I heard a rustling in the bushes and turned around quickly with my wand raised. I heard another noise behind me and this time I saw it, it was a werewolf charging right at me with a stag and dog following it. I raised my wand ready to fight.  
  
"Confundo!" I yelled casting a Cunfundus Charm. The spell charged right at them and it hit the werewolf right between the eyes. He staggered for a minute and toppled over. The stag and dog looked from the werewolf to me and back to the werewolf. The dog turned into Sirius while the stag stood on top of the werewolf. The werewolf was stirring obviously confused.  
  
"Lets get out of here fast." Sirius said pulling me by my arm. I went along to get away from the werewolf. When we got into the safety of the castle and the common room. I turned to Sirius slowly.  
  
"Who was that?" I asked simply. Sirius hung his head and whispered one word.  
  
"Remus." 


	27. Slytherins and Us

"WHAT!" I yelled. I sat down I couldn't believe it. Remus was a werewolf.  
  
"Ash, you cant tell anyone, and you can't tell Remus that you know...or if you do, be nice, he's having a tough time with all this." Sirius said. I stared at Sirius as if he was nuts.  
  
"Are you kidding me?!? Dumbledore would never let a werewolf on campus, he's not that nuts!" I said. I couldn't believe that Dumbledore would allow such a thing.  
  
"Ash, please. Wouldn't you do the same thing? Remus is a great chap. He's still the same guy you have gotten to know." Sirius said. I thought about that and Sirius was right. He is the same guy, he's just has an added extra once a month. Kind of like a young girl when she hits that age. I took a deep breath and calmed myself. Remus was still the same friend.  
  
"Your right. You are completely right. I guess I was over reacting." I stated.  
  
"So you wont tell him and if you do you will be really good about it?" Sirius asked. I nodded.  
  
"I wont say anything." I said. Sirius smiled and gave me a small kiss before running off again. I went back to sleep with dreams filled with Sirius and Remus, the werewolf.  
  
**  
  
"Ash! Wake up! You're going to be late again. The game starts in 15 minutes!" Alyssa said pulling off my covers. I jumped up and ran to the shower. I needed to be at this game. Gryffindor was playing against Slytherin and I had to cheer the team on with Lily and Alyssa. Sirius was a beater and James was a chaser. I got in and out of the shower faster than ever and I performed a spell to quickly dry and straighten my hair. Alyssa and Lily were waiting impatiently.  
  
"What took you so long to get up? Did you have trouble sleeping again?" Lily asked. I nodded. I did have some trouble sleeping.  
  
"Just a little." I said leaving with them. Sirius and James would already be at the field getting ready to play. Alyssa was happy to be going and kept rushing the two along. She had a date last night and she was eager to show her support for Jordan. The same Jordan that I had gone out with and he had claimed that he still liked me. But I didn't care about that because I had Sirius. And that was all that mattered because some part of me was in love with him but I didn't dare say it, again.  
  
"What was it about?" Lily asked. I debated on whether to tell her or not.  
  
"Just some odd dreams." I said. I had promised not to mention Remus's situation to anyone. By the time we got to the Quidditch field it was packed and not many seats were available in the Gryffindor section.  
  
"Hey! There are some seats up there! Next to headmaster Dumbledore." Alyssa said. She didn't care where they sat as long as they got to cheer on the team. She seemed to really like Jordan.  
  
"Hello Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall." All of us said in unison. Both of them greeted us back and we set our eyes on the field as the game began.  
  
Half way through the game Gryffindor was losing and we still kept cheering. The fate of the game was resting on Jordan's shoulders. He was the seeker of our team and he just had to win. He was an awesome seeker too, every since he started on the team he had been successful in catching the Snitch in almost every game.  
  
"...Oooo and that was a nasty move even for a Slytherin to pull." James had been knocked off his broom and fell to the ground. Lily was on the edge of her seat waiting for James to respond to the medic on the floor attending to him.  
  
"Oh my God, you guys that was a really hard fall." Lily whispered. Dumbledore had heard her and he turned around to attend to her.  
  
"It's ok, He'll be fine. We have the best people attending to him..." Just as Dumbledore said that to her James had jumped up and was now getting on his broom again. The Gryffindors cheered and we jumping up and down at the miraculous recovery. Lily's worried face had turned into a face of relief.  
  
"He looks good! He looks fine." Lily had cried out in happiness.  
  
"Yeah, look at him go." I had said but I meant Sirius. He was zooming around hitting those balls and kicking Slytherin butt. Then the buzzer sounded as the unexpected Jordan had caught the Snitch and the Gryffindors won the match.  
  
Later a party was held in the common room and I was searching for Sirius but I couldn't find him. In fact I couldn't find James, Peter or Remus either. Lily was sitting in the corner looking around the room for James also. Alyssa was in the spot light with Jordan and everyone was enjoying them selves and having fun.  
  
"Lily, do you know where Sirius is?" I asked her once I got through the crowd of people to get to her.  
  
"No, I am looking for James. I bet where ever Sirius is, James will be right beside him." Lily said.  
  
"I know, I wonder what those two are up to." I said. Knowing them they were probably playing some trick on the Slytherins. As I thought that the all burst into the room and split up. Remus and Peter left Sirius and James to look for us. I pretended that I didn't see them because I wanted Sirius to come to me. Eventually they came and they looked like little schoolboys when they saw us. Sirius sat on the back of the chair was sitting on and he put his hands on my shoulders. I loved the way Sirius touched me even if it was just a small brush of the hands or elbow. It always gave me chills up and down my spine.  
  
"Where have you guys been?" I asked casually yet there was a hint of accusation in my tone. Sirius smiled as James put on his innocent face.  
  
"Why, whatever do you mean?" James asked. Sirius knew better than to pull that with me. I would end up tickling him in front of everyone and Sirius was VERY ticklish.  
  
"You know what we mean, you were pulling a prank on the Slytherins weren't you?" Lily asked. James straightened his face out and he shook his head no.  
  
"Oh whatever!" I said in my American accent. A few people who still weren't used to it turned and stared. I started to turn red.  
  
"Honestly, we didn't. Would you two like to see what we were doing?" They asked both of us. I looked at Lily hesitantly and then I followed her lead and agreed to go.  
  
They led us down the corridors and up to the towers. On the highest tower in the castle, which was the Astronomy tower, Sirius pulled out his wand and conjured up a few blankets while James pulled something that looked like an invisibility cloak off of a basket. I looked to Sirius with questioning eyes, what was he up to?  
  
James pulled out some candles and handed some to Sirius, they both said a charm and candles lit up and started to float around us. I smiled I had to admit that it was a very beautiful site. They then pulled out some butterbeers and tarts. Lily laughed along with me as we walked toward our wonderful boyfriends. I gave Sirius a tight hug, one where I didn't want to let go. Loved him so very much and he was so romantic. Sirius set me down on one blanket. I smiled as I took in the breathtaking site before me; I never had taken it in before now.  
  
Sirius sat down next to me and put one arm around my waist. I bit my lip slightly and I looked at him. He saw me staring at him and he smiled his sweet smile. This guy had so many different smiles that it amazed me.  
  
"I think you look sexy when you bite your lip like that." He whispered in my ear. I laughed at him because he was trying to charm me.  
  
"Oh really?" I asked him in an unbelievable tone.  
  
"Really." He said truthfully. I laughed at him and gave him a small kiss on the lips. Lily and James had left a short while after that and headed back to the common room.  
  
"Hey Padfoot, you can borrow the cloak if you're gonna stay long ok." James said before leaving. I knew he meant the invisibility cloak. Sirius smiled at me as soon as they were gone.  
  
"Now we are all alone." He said.  
  
"Yes we are." I said and he kissed me. It was a hungry kiss and I had never experienced it from Sirius before. Not this type of hungry. But I immediately returned it. Sirius put his hand on my stomach and he started to pull my shirt up. I had lost all thought until his right hand had touched my left breast. I smacked his hand away and backed away.  
  
"No Sirius, I don't want to go that far yet." I said. He smiled again and it wasn't an understanding smile it was an evil smile. He pulled me over to him again and started to pull my shirt up again and this time he was more forceful. I struggled against him and he reminded me of that night in the forest with Malfoy. He was acting the same exact way. I pulled my hand away from his grasp and dug my nails in his neck. He let out a howl just as I heard a familiar voice.  
  
"Get your hands off her you bloody git!" Sirius was ripped off me and thrown against the floor. I looked up and saw Sirius standing above me with James and another James? I was so confused. Lily ran toward me and hugged me with a strong embrace. I didn't understand what was going on.  
  
"Lily... what?" I asked unable to get anything else out. Lily directed my attention to a dazed James and a white haired Sirius? My eyes must have deceived me because Sirius DIDN'T have white hair.  
  
"James and Sirius were jumped by two Slytherins and the poly juice potion was used and well... we were hanging out with Malfoy and Crabbe." Lily said with disgust in her voice. I suddenly felt like I was going to throw up. I felt the nausea set in and then the purging started and I was throwing up on the side of the tower. Sirius stopped beating up Malfoy and came toward me along with James. I felt his arms on me and pulled back, I didn't want to feel that touch.  
  
When I gathered myself up Sirius was in the corner with James and they were fuming over the loss of Malfoy and Crabbe. They had left while I was throwing up.  
  
"Are you ok now?" Lily asked me. I closed my eyes and then I looked at her for a second.  
  
"I'll never be ok, that was so gross." I said. She nodded and wiped her mouth. She had actually kissed Crabbe too.  
  
"I know what you mean." She said and I was glad that someone did. 


	28. petty disagreements

We never did Dumbledore about the Slytherin encounter ever. Lily and me had begged the boys not to mention it to anyone or to even bring it up again. A few weeks went by and it was almost time for Halloween. In fact Halloween wasn't that far off at all. I was actually looking forward to it because that was when Lily and me were getting them back. We were going to make them wish they had NEVER messed with us.  
  
"Do you have everything ready for Halloween? One week away, I can't wait Ashleigh." Lily said. I nodded. Everything was set all we needed now was the bait. And that would be us...  
  
"Hey baby, are you ok?" Sirius asked me when he saw me in the hall. Him and James have been overly protective ever since the "incident". He has also been asking me if I was ok... all the time 'are you ok?' It never ends. Sirius walked next to me the whole time, his class was all the way across the campus and he was walking me to my class.  
  
"Don't you have class?" I asked him. He nodded but still walked next to me.  
  
"Sirius, I love you, but you can't keep doing this. You get so many detentions for being late... go to class." I said.  
  
"But what if..." He started. I put my hand up to stop him.  
  
"No, not what if, go!" I ordered him. I had never really done it that way before. I used to say it playfully. He looked angry and hurt at the same time but he didn't want to show the hurt as much.  
  
"Fine, you want to be like that... I was only trying to protect you." I knew he was right but I couldn't help it. I wasn't a helpless girl after all. I was Ashleigh, someone who was very powerful. Although my "extras" hadn't been there lately to back me up. Especially during the "incident". I caught up with Lily just in time to see James leaving her side and heading to his class. He was running to catch up with Sirius. Sirius was definitely mad and I felt bad that I got him mad but I needed my space.  
  
"What's up with Sirius?" Lily asked as we entered our Arithemacy class.  
  
"I asked him to back off because I needed a little space." I said.  
  
"Ha! Space, that is something I have been DREAMING about. Ever since that... night James had been crowding me more than ever. I don't think I can take it anymore." Lily said. We felt the same way. At least I knew that I wasn't in the wrong when I told Sirius that. I did need space because it was getting hard to breathe.  
  
That night in the common room, Sirius didn't talk to me at all. He kept his back to me; obviously I was supposed to apologize. Well, I wasn't going to, not any time soon.  
  
"Well, I told him." Lily said wiping her hands. She sat down next to me. Usually we would get together with Alyssa and talk or gossip or something. But lately Alyssa had been so tied up with Jordan she barely had time to do anything but go to class, snog and sleep. We both stared at the two as if they were the entertainment. Both of them looked like they were going to devour each other.  
  
"Do you ever regret breaking things off with Jordan?" Lily asked me unexpectedly. Of course not, I had... well, I usually had Sirius. And I was in love with Sirius. He was the only thing I thought of when I went to bed and the first thing to enter my mind when I went to sleep. If this wasn't love then I didn't know what was. He WAS I and I was he. We were one soul inhabiting two bodies.  
  
"Of course not. I love Sirius. I wouldn't trade him for the world." I said. Sirius's hands covered my eyes and I squealed with joy. I loved playing this, it always made flirting so much fun.  
  
"Guess who." He whispered sexily into my ear.  
  
"Well, it can't be my boyfriend. He is off sulking." I said. He laughed and hopped over the back of the sofa and landed next me. My athletic man whom I loved deeply. I smiled at him and gave him a peck on the cheek. He smiled but then he turned serious.  
  
"I have been thinking and I know that you are right Ashleigh but I can't help but want to protect you. I love you so much, I don't need to lose you and I don't want to. I've come close to losing you so many times that I am scared to even think about it. Will you forgive me? I promise that I will give you space if you promise to let me guard you some of the time." He said. I contemplated it before I nodded.  
  
"On one condition, you HAVE to go to your class instead of mine... and you be my personal slave for all eternity." I said laughing when he started to tickle me.  
  
"Only if I can be your sex slave." He said. I smiled. Things always came down to sex with this man.  
  
"You're a virgin right?" I asked him. He shook his head. I knew it was too good to be true.  
  
"How many?" I asked. He held up two fingers. I nodded we were even at least. We spent a good two hours talking and I learned a lot more about him in the crowded room then I had learned in the Shrieking Shack that one gorgeous night. I learned that he did like one person in his family, His Uncle Alfred, who had left him a great sum of money and not to his wife or daughters. He was also the black sheep of the family. And he was living with the Potter's at the moment because he ran away from home. He learned more about my past with Alex and my mother. And I told him about their deaths and how unusual they all seemed at first until I learned of Voldermort. Then Ms. McGonagall walked in and interrupted everyone, especially Alyssa and Jordan. "I need to see Potter, Cox, Black, Evans and Lupin please!" She said and we all followed her. We didn't know what we had done now or if it was a previous pranks that was just now solved. But we bet that we all were in trouble. We followed her to Headmaster Dumbledore's office and we all waited for his appearance after she left.  
  
"I wonder what we did." Lily said. She was always scared of getting in trouble.  
  
"Probably found out that we were the ones who backed up all the toilets on the third floor..." James said. Dumbledore appeared and smiled down at James' guilty and terrified face.  
  
"Ah, so that was you guys, was it? I'll make mental note of that." Dumbledore said. I glared at James for opening his big mouth.  
  
"But for now, I will only alert you. There has been some talk that Voldermort is out for you five. James and Sirius you guys have scared him with your braveness, Remus and Lily you guys have frightened him with your intelligence and Ashleigh you have alerted him of your abilities. So I must say that I will not be allowed to let you guys leave the campus until further notice. That means no Hogsmeade trips. I'm sorry." Dumbledore said. We all stared at him. Unbelievable. This big and mighty wizard was scared of five teenage wizards and witches.  
  
"Are you telling us that this big high and mighty Wizard with powers that not even the greatest wizards understand or can even comprehend is afraid of five teenagers?" I asked him. I actually didn't believe a word he was saying.  
  
"Yes I am. He is disturbed by your actions over the summer. Never has he had someone fight as hard and as long to defy him as you guys. And I can honestly tell you that he hasn't seen anyone with your abilities either." He said.  
  
"What? Just because of this summer he is wigged out?" I asked. I knew everyone in that room didn't know what "wigged out" meant but the idea was hanging in the air.  
  
"Ashleigh, you have to understand that we are getting more and more people as of the last month onto our side and that in its self is incredible. What you 5 had displayed that day in the forest when you were running from his death eaters was astonishing to him. You aren't even supposed to know that kind of magic, and yet you do and you used it with such accuracy." Dumbledore said. Everyone kind of had a sense of pride and accomplishment. As if this was their biggest adventure.  
  
"But Dumbledore, we are just...." I wasn't able to finish because he held up his hand to stop me.  
  
"Ashleigh, I am just the messenger. I heard for some sources that he plans to get rid of you all one by one. And I am going to do as much as I can to save you from that." Dumbledore said.  
  
"So I want all five of you to stay on campus and do NOT leave under any circumstances. Do you hear me? Ashleigh, your dad has gone to the states for a few months to do some research and has put me as your guardian in case something happens." Dumbledore said nonchalantly. I jumped up from my slouch and looked at him wide eyed.  
  
"Don't say that. Why? What would happen to him? He's not in danger is he? I want to see him NOW!" I said freaking out. I had never been so far from my dad and the fact that he was halfway around the world wasn't a comfort. The last time a parent was half way around the world she had left... for good.  
  
"Ashleigh calm down. He's ok, he is just doing research." Dumbledore said.  
  
"I want to talk to him! Let me talk to him now!!" I half yelled. Dumbledore's expression had hardened and I knew that I was being unreasonable but he didn't understand. Dad was all that I had left.  
  
"I can't let you do that." Dumbledore said. My eyes got a little teary eyed but I blinked a few times to get rid of it.  
  
"You don't understand bad things happen when I am so far apart from him. Things happen and I wont... I cant... please don't let them." I stopped talking afraid that I would break down and cry. Dumbledore sighed and nodded.  
  
"Ok, only a few minutes though." He said going to the fire and throwing floo power into it while whispering something he stuck his head in. After a minute he came back and my dad's head appeared.  
  
"Daddy!" I said running to his... head. He smiled and his whole body started to appear. I gave him a huge hug and before I let him go I told him that I loved him.  
  
"Aww, sweetheart, I love you too. What's wrong?" He asked me. I tried to control my swelling throat so that I didn't cry but my words came out choked.  
  
"Why are you so far away? You know that I don't like that. Dad, I don't... please don't let things go bad again." I said giving him a hug again. I never was quite comfortable talking about my mother's death.  
  
"Oh, baby, don't cry. You know that I can take care of myself." He said hugging me tightly.  
  
"So could mom, or so she thought." I said. My tears were drying because I was mad at his stupidity and ignorance. 


	29. New girl

"Ashleigh, your mother is completely different from me and you know that. We only have each other now and I promise nothing will happen." He said.  
  
"You can't promise that. Besides, aren't you the one who taught me not to make promises that I couldn't keep?" I said. My anger was easing up. I was just freaking out because he was all that I had.  
  
"Don't worry about me. I will be fine. I am heavily guarded and only Dumbledore knows where I am so I know I will be safe. Go have some fun with your friends and behave." He said winking. I couldn't help but laugh because deep down inside I knew that he was safe in Dumbledore's hands, just like I am.  
  
"Ok, I will but you be careful... I mean it and we better spend Christmas together... it's a tradition." I said in a firm tone. He smiled and kissed my fore head.  
  
"Of course and listen to Dumbledore, he is in charge of you..." He said leaving. I nodded as I watched him go. I knew that he would be ok. Of course he would because he was in Dumbledore's hands and my mom was watching over him. Dumbledore motioned for everyone to settle down and listen to him.  
  
"By the way, I have a new student that has recently come from the states and I need you guys to show her around the castle. She is in the Gryffindor house and she will be bunking with you two." He said pointing at Lily and I. I was pretty excited because there would be someone else besides Jordan from the States and I would be able to room with her. Lily and I could adopt her into the group and show her all the tricks. Smiling, I nodded eagerly.  
  
"Good, she should be waiting with Professor McGonagall at the bottom of the stairs. Show her around and be nice." He said. We all left as he finished his last sentence and dismissed us. I was in front of everyone because I wanted to get to know this girl.  
  
We walked to the bottom of the stairs and I saw a blonde head and then a body. She was awfully thin and beautiful. She made Pamela Anderson look ugly. I felt a tinge of jealousy as she turned around and saw us. She smiled sheepishly at us. I got to the bottom and returned the smile and shook her hand.  
  
"Hi! I'm Ashleigh, this is Lily and James, Sirius, and Remus." I said. She said hello to each and every one of us with such confidence that it made me feel shy.  
  
"Hi, I'm Gabrielle." She said in an accent that I didn't understand. It sounded like New York.  
  
"What part of the states are you from?" I asked her.  
  
"New Jersey." She stated.  
  
"I was close I guessed New York. By the way, I am from California." I said. She smiled.  
  
"Awesome, another American. I was hoping that I wouldn't be the only one." She said.  
  
"I thought the same thing when I started here but all of these people are really nice and I have grown to love this place more than ever." I said.  
  
We went to the common room again because it was close to curfew and Flinch was checking the halls for victims. We explained to Gabrielle how everything worked and gave her a tour around the common room.  
  
"The Boys' dorms are off limits to us and vice versa. You are allowed to date but you can't display much PDA." I said. The others looked at me like I was speaking another language.  
  
"PDA means Public Display of Affection." I said to them and they all nodded. I couldn't help but laugh.  
  
"What about that?" She asked looking at Jordan and Alyssa.  
  
"Well, they seem to get around the Prefects and the Professors every now and then. A new couple you know. Always on each other." I said. She nodded. I checked my watch and realized that we had been talking for an hour and I was getting tired.  
  
"I'm going to head up to bed. Do you want me to show you where you sleep?" I asked her. The common room was slowly empting out. She shook her head no.  
  
"No, I think I am going to stay down here and write for a bit. You go ahead though. I am sure I can find it. The sixth door up right?" She said. I nodded and said good night.  
  
"Good night guys." I said. Lily said good night too.  
  
"I guess I'll be heading to be too." James said and Remus nodded. Sirius sat there for a few seconds.  
  
"I'm going to stay down here and study for tomorrows transfig. Test." He said. We all left and went to bed.  
  
***Authors note: I am going to have some one Sirius' POV and other characters' POV in here***  
  
Sirius sat in one of the fluffy chairs with his Transfiguration book on his lap. He had to admit he was attracted to Gabrielle at first glance but it was nothing more than a physical attraction. He loved Ashleigh with all his heart and he wasn't going to screw it up. Besides she was way too confident and beautiful to have any attraction or interest in him. He noticed her walking toward him.  
  
"I just wanted to thank you for helping in showing me around school and giving me a warm welcome." She said sitting down next to him. He felt his little friend stiffen and he scooted over to get farther away from her and put his textbook in between them.  
  
"No problem, it was my pleasure." He said. She smiled.  
  
"I can't show you more pleasure." She said in a seductive voice. He swallowed and gave a weak smile. No one else was in the common room and she was advancing toward him until she was almost on top of him. He almost lost his mind and gave in but he got up real fast.  
  
"W...W...wait, I have a girlfriend. One who I love and cherish and I'm sorry... I mean you are very attractive, BUT so is my girl and I love her... did I mention that I love her?" He said. Gabrielle laughed but she nodded.  
  
"Ok. Your loss." She said pulling off her jacket. It revealed a very low cut shirt and he had to get out of there fast. He ran up to his dorm room. James and Remus were just about to get into bed.  
  
"Hey, what's up?" James asked.  
  
"Mate, She came onto me!" Sirius said. James propped himself up on his elbows and gave Sirius a confused look. Remus stopped brushing his teeth and some of the toothpaste was dripping down his chin.  
  
"What are you talking about?" James asked.  
  
"Gabrielle, she came on to me while I was studying..." He couldn't finish that sentence because there was a knock at the door. Sirius answered the door and Gabrielle pushed her way into the room with ease. She smiled at him and gave him a kiss on the cheek.  
  
"You forgot this down there." She said handing him his book. He looked down at the book and nodded.  
  
"Thanks." He said. She gave him another kiss on the cheek and walked out blowing kisses at him. He turned to James with a desperate look and an astonished Remus chocked on his toothpaste.  
  
"Mate, I have to break it to you but you're going to have to tell Ashleigh." Remus said after he spit his toothpaste into the sink.  
  
"But... but... she'll kill me. Things just started to get good again. I'm telling you mates, every time things get good between her and me something always seems to mess it up. I am seriously starting to have doubts about me and her." Sirius said sitting on the edge of James' bed with Remus.  
  
"Padfoot, that's silly talk, I have never seen so much love and adoration between two people. You guys are perfect together; you keep her out of trouble and vice versa. Don't ruin something so pure." Remus said. Sirius nodded but he still had his doubts about their relationship.  
  
"You should really talk all this over with Ash, not your mates." Jordan's voice came from his four-poster bed. Sirius felt rage surge through him. Ever since Jordan went out with Ashleigh. But he couldn't show it because Ashleigh never said anything about Jezebel or any of the other girls he went with. Besides, he couldn't admit that he was jealous of Jordan it would make him look bad.  
  
"Well, I am... going to, but right now I can't get to her room. Now can I?" He said.  
  
"I know a way you can..." Jordan said and he pulled out a mirror and whispered something into it.  
  
"Ok, she'll be down in the common room in a few minutes." Jordan said. Sirius gave him a bad look. He wanted to tell Ashleigh everything but he was afraid that she might get bad at him or things might become rocky once more. Nevertheless he knew what he had to do and that was to go downstairs.  
  
**Ashleigh's POV**  
  
"Oh please Lily... I told you once already I am not going to wear that outfit." I said. Lily had been trying to force me into an old outfit of mine that she thought was cute but I disagreed.  
  
"Oh fine!" Lily said crossing her arms. She held it up against her to see if it might look good and I thought that it did. She had the right color of hair and the right figure.  
  
"Maybe I'll borrow it..." She said.  
  
"You can have it." I said. Gabrielle came into the dorm room and smiled. I knew that smile it was a sheepish smile.  
  
"You know, I think that guy, Sirius has the wrong ideas in his head." She said. I stopped sorting through my clothes and looked at her.  
  
"What do you mean?" I said a little too defensively.  
  
"Oh, nothing just I was thinking about my boyfriend back home and I guess I was just in a little lovey-dovey mood and he was the only one in the common room and I just wanted to ask a few questions about the school." Gabrielle said. I laughed. Just like Sirius to jump to conclusions.  
  
"So... he thought you were hitting on him?" I asked.  
  
"Yeah, he said he had a girlfriend and that he loved her very much and all this other junk about me not being able to have him and stuff... Like I would want him. I have a steady boyfriend at home." She said. I laughed. It sounded like Sirius. Alyssa came out of the bathroom and squealed with delight.  
  
"What?" I asked her. She pulled a mirror out of her pajama pocket. I saw Jordan's face appear in it and she started to whisper into the mirror and then she turned to me.  
  
"Ashleigh, Sirius needs to see you ASAP." She said. I nodded and went down to the common room. I saw him there walking back and forth.  
  
"Sirius... is something wrong? Alyssa told me that you wanted to...." He kissed me with such passion that it knocked the wind out of me. And then he kept kissing me and he moved his hands up my shirt to touch the small of my back with his hand holding me closer and closer to him. I pulled away after a minute and stared at him.  
  
"What was that for?" I asked him. He looked deep into my eyes and gave me a small soft promising kiss.  
  
"Have I told you how much I love you lately?" He asked me. I smiled.  
  
"I don't think you have... maybe I need to hear it again." I said shyly smiling and tracing my finger along his hairline.  
  
"Well, I love you a whole lot Ashleigh Corrine and I never want to let you go. That's why I need you to keep an open mind while I tell you something." He said. I stopped smiling.  
  
"I already know." I said. His jaw dropped open and he looked amazed.  
  
"What? You mean she told you?" Sirius asked. He looked at me with wide eyes and then he looked to the floor and put his hand through his hair. Then he looked back at me with horrified eyes.  
  
"I... I mean... You know that it wasn't... I didn't..." He couldn't get the words together.  
  
"Its ok... don't worry about it... it was just a simple misunderstanding." I said to him.  
  
"Misunderstanding? Ashleigh, she came on to me." He said. I laughed.  
  
"That's so like you. She didn't come onto you... you just think she did..." I said.  
  
"What? No I don't think she did... I mean no she kissed me..." He said.  
  
"Where?" I asked him.  
  
"My cheek... I'm not playing... James and Remus saw it." Sirius protested.  
  
"Baby, she probably just thought your reaction was cute." I said.  
  
"But Ash..." He started. I kissed him before he could finish and I said my good nights. It was time to go to bed. 


	30. Old Friends

The next day during breakfast, I received a package from my dad. Sirius was sitting next to me and I felt like I was practically on his lap. As I was trying to open my package he kept peeking over my shoulder and then he would squeeze my knee, which would make me laugh because it tickled.  
  
"What's that? What did you get?" He asked me still peeking over my shoulder. I looked at him with an expression that told him to back off a little. He grinned and went back to his bacon and eggs. I tore off the brown paper and string to discover a cardboard box and a letter written on the box that said, 'Don't open, don't tell and don't peek. I love you, Dad.' I had a very skeptical look on my face as I stared at it. I put the small box back into my robes.  
  
"What was it?" Sirius asked me. I gave him a kiss on the cheek and left the table.  
  
"I'll meet you in class. I have something to do." I said. I went straight to my dorm room and grabbed my books. Class was going to start in fifteen minutes. My curiosity was edging at me to open the box but I knew better than to try. My dad had always experimented with things and some were pretty deadly and this just might be something deadly. I took out of my robes and placed a security spell on so only I could touch it. I opened my trunk and placed it under all my things at the very bottom. I put everything back into the trunk and grabbed my potions book.  
  
"Ash, come on lets go." Gabrielle said coming out of the bathroom. I turned around real quick and stared at her.  
  
"Uh, Gabrielle hi." I said.  
  
"Hi, are you ok?" She asked. I nodded and linked my arm in hers.  
  
"Definitely ok. Lets go to Potions class." I said. We arrived in the dungeon with a few minutes to spare. The Professor was standing with his back to us. Then he turned, tapped his wand on the chalkboard and the ingredients to a Draft of Peace spell appeared.  
  
"Class, I want you to start on this potion. This is a review of last year. You can work with one partner. You maybe begin." He said. I smiled at Sirius and he came over.  
  
"Oh, damn was kind of hoping one of you would be my partner. I don't know many people..." Gabrielle said. I felt sorry for her immediately.  
  
"Of course. You guys be partners, I'll go work with Remus." I said gathering my stuff and going toward Remus.  
  
"But A..." He couldn't finish because Gabrielle had pulled him over by her and started to set up her ingredients. I walked to Remus and set my things down.  
  
"Mr. Lupin, I believe you need a partner." I said giving him a small hug. We worked on our potion and passed with flying colors. The Professor must have been feeling a little ill or something because he let us leave as soon as our potion was done. Remus and I had finished second. Of course, Snape and Malfoy finished first. I walked past Sirius and gave him a sympathetic look.  
  
"Meet me in the Required Room after your done here." I whispered to him before leaving the class. I followed Remus out of the dungeon and we went to the Common Room. I changed into something cuter, like my light pink shirt and my low rider jeans. I slipped on my robes to cover up the outfit in case I bumped into a teacher. I followed the usual path to the Room of Requirement to get there without bumping into anyone. When I got there no one was there. But behind the door I needed a comfortable place to be with Sirius. And it revealed a bed, basically an American bedroom. I pulled off my robes and lay on the bed waiting for him to come in. Sirius opened the door and when he saw me sitting there, he grinned and pulled off his robes to reveal a tight black shirt and some jeans. Then he jumped on the bed and lay next to me. It felt like our bodies had connected. As if it we were part of a puzzle and fitted perfectly together.  
  
"So when you invited me to this room I had some expectations." He said in his smooth voice. I laughed in his face.  
  
"Well, when I invited you up here, I think I expected something." I said back. His grin disappeared and he looked surprised. Then he looked away and then back at me with a questioning look. I giggled at his expression.  
  
"Are you trying to say that... that maybe you... do you think maybe..." He laughed and kissed me.  
  
"Wow, slow down there, cowboy. We have no place to do it in." I said. He let go of me and sat up in the bed. He looked like he was deep in thought.  
  
"What if we did it here?" He asked. I shook my head.  
  
"Why not?" He asked.  
  
"Because Dumbledore has constant security and reign over this castle. He knows when EVERYTHING is going down." I said. He nodded. Then he started to think again.  
  
"Well, lets go to your house. Your dad is out of town..." He said. I laughed again. No way was I going to have sex in my house.  
  
"Then I'll get a hotel." He said. I giggled at his insistence.  
  
"Lets wait and see what opportunities arise." I said. He nodded reluctantly. Then we made out until my watch started going off. It was time for our next class and I didn't want to be late. I was going to the library with my class and Professor Donahughe and we were going to study in there considering his classroom was still under construction since the Anderson twins had jinx it with such a spell that the Professor couldn't figure it out and he wouldn't except any help from anyone in figuring it out. I met Lily just outside the Library with Gabrielle. We walked in and took a seat near the back. We wanted to talk and the whole library wasn't just for us so there was some noise.  
  
"Ash?" Lily whispered while the Professor was speaking.  
  
"Yeah?" I asked taking some notes.  
  
"About the prank.... Exactly how are we supposed to turn them green?" Lily asked. I shook my head no to stop the talk because the Professor was coming our way. He pointed to Gabrielle and asked her to come to the front of the library for his demonstration. I scooted over to Lily and gave her a look. This professor always picked on the new girl.  
  
"I think maybe we should put it in their food and no on the green. Its their house color, they could just say they were showing school spirit. And I want to humiliate them more than that." I said. Lily nodded. I kept thinking. I wanted them to be totally humiliated in front of EVERYONE. I wanted all people to laugh at them.  
  
"Maybe we need to consult the Marauders." Lily said. I shook my head. I refused to ask for help.  
  
"Lets make their jewels shrink, or better yet turn them into women." I said. Lily's face lit up and she nodded vigorously. We laughed but stopped immediately when the Professor looked our way.  
  
It was a few days before Halloween and I still couldn't figure out a way to turn them into girls without them knowing that we were behind it. Lily thought of a charm but we would have to be in their view.  
  
"Are you willing to risk it?" Lily asked me. I leaned against Sirius.  
  
"Well, maybe if we can get something on them... like something that they don't want anyone to know. Then we can use that as leverage. They wont tell on us then." I said in deep thought. But what could we use against them?  
  
"Well, we could spy on them." James said his eyes lighting up. We laughed because we knew it was impossible.  
  
"Don't be silly, no way can we get into the Slytherin dorms." I said. James glanced at Sirius and Sirius glanced at James.  
  
"WE know a way." James and Sirius said at the same time.  
  
"You know a way? How?" I asked them. James and Sirius pulled us into a tight circle and pulled out a piece of parchment from Sirius' robes. James tapped the parchment with his wand.  
  
"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." All of a sudden a bunch of lines started to spread out all over the page and it revealed a map of the school. I looked at them with astonishment.  
  
"Who would have thought that you guys would have invented something like this." I said. Sirius signaled that I was in big trouble and started to tickle me.  
  
"Stop! Sirius! I mean it stop!" I was squealing, he kept tickling me and then he kissed my neck and started to nibble on my ear, which made me giggle.  
  
"You should stop, or she might pee her pants." I heard a very familiar voice behind me and I jumped off of Sirius' lap and gave Izzy a hug.  
  
"Oh my god. What are you doing here?" I asked her. She smiled and twirled.  
  
"I decided to become a Brit... besides, your sorry ass got me in trouble." She said. I was confused how could I do something to her from across the world.  
  
"What are you talking about? Lets go for a walk." I asked her. We walked out of the common room and along the halls near the Gryffindor entrance. She looked down to the floor for a while and then back at me and I saw tears in her eyes.  
  
"Izzy what happened?" I asked her.  
  
"My parents. They had an accident in their lab and they aren't themselves and I'm underage... your dad is my guardian and he couldn't guard me while he was all the way across the world. Everyone agreed that being sent here was a perfect solution... Micah is also here... She more bummed than I was because her whole life was back at school. I thought maybe we could support her together. We were lucky to get the same house as you." She said. Most of the things she said didn't make sense and they seemed scrambled.  
  
"Wow, wow, wait, what happened to your parents? What do you mean they aren't themselves?" I asked her.  
  
"Well they were working on some top secret thing and the lab blew up. Some chemicals were mixed together and when they inhaled, they lost their minds. Ashleigh they are mentally incapable of everything. Right now they are in a mental institution back home. It really hit Micah hard... harder than me because she was closer to them than I was." She said. Micah was her younger sister. She's only two years younger than us and she got most of the attention while growing up. Izzy never did know why.  
  
"Ash, when my parents were in the hospital... they got to talking and I found out that... well I found something incredible. My mom told me something about you and me. Something awesome." She said.  
  
"What? We sisters?" I asked her laughing but she wasn't laughing at all.  
  
"We are. Ash, we were conceived in a test tube." She said. I laughed at her. We passed the bathroom for the third time.  
  
"What are you talking about?" I asked her after I noticed that she wasn't laughing or saying she was kidding.  
  
"My mom told me that we were conceived in a test tube... evidently your mom couldn't conceive. They were playing around with genetics at the time and when they heard about your mom and how they were trying to conceive... they kind of.... Well they... they created us out of their sperm and eggs and they altered something things. Ash... look at this, I haven't told anyone about this." She said and we went into the bathroom. She looked around the bathroom for any sign of someone.  
  
"Don't worry no one is here." I said. She nodded and pulled out a pen from her pockets from under her robes. She then dropped it and put up her hands and froze it in mid air. My eyes got huge and she nodded.  
  
"I can do the same thing!" I said. She smiled and started to breathe.  
  
"Wait, can Micah do this too?" I asked her. She shook her head.  
  
"See that's the thing. My parents thought that they were unfertile but they really weren't. Micah is their real daughter. That's why she favored over me because I was just one of their experiments." Izzy said. She was always bitter about that type of thing.  
  
"We weren't experiments... we were just a dream come true. Think about it, our parents couldn't have kids because of... something but we became their kids because they altered their eggs and sperm to make it fertile. We weren't experiments, we WERE a dream come true." I said to her. She smiled at me and we left the bathroom.  
  
"You always did know how to sugar coat things." Izzy said. We were catching up on old things and laughing and joking when we caught Micah in our grasp.  
  
"Hey girl!" I said giving her a hug. She was like my little sister too and I loved her like one. 


End file.
